Tamil Nadu Rains: Family Of 7 Killed In Landslide In Tiruvannamalai

A family of seven were killed in a landslide stuck on Sunday which was triggered by heavy rains from Cyclone Fengal that made landfall near Chennai on Saturday.

This follows a tragic event the day before when a family of seven lost their lives due to a landslide.

Cyclone Fengal has caused severe rainfall across Tamil Nadu, leading to significant flooding. The Viluppuram district is particularly affected, with many areas becoming inaccessible due to washed-out bridges and overflowing waters. This has resulted in damaged crops and disrupted rail services.

Rescue operations are ongoing in Tiruvannamalai, with assistance from experts at the Indian Institute of Technology in Chennai. However, continuous rain and the threat of more boulders falling are hampering efforts. The second landslide occurred near a local temple, adding to the challenges faced by rescue teams.

In western Tamil Nadu, districts like Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri have been hit hard by record floods. Uthangarai experienced 50 centimetres of rain within 24 hours, while Villupuram received 42 cm and Harur in Dharmapuri saw 33 cm. Cuddalore and Tiruvannamalai recorded 16 cm each.

A senior official from the Weather Department explained that the heavy rainfall is due to the cyclone's remnants forming a strong low-pressure area over northern Tamil Nadu. Rainfall alerts have been issued for northern Kerala and southern Karnataka as this system is expected to intensify and move towards the Arabian Sea.

Disturbing footage has emerged showing vehicles being swept away by floodwaters at Uthangarai's bus station. The area experienced continuous rain for 14 hours, causing large buses to be carried away by the floodwaters.

In Chennai, part of the airport was flooded over the weekend, leading to numerous flight cancellations and significant disruption for passengers. Operations were halted until early Sunday morning at 4 AM.

So far, two people have died due to the severe weather conditions. Among them was a migrant worker in Chennai who was reportedly electrocuted while attempting to withdraw money from an ATM during the storm.