Heavy rains continued to batter Tamil Nadu on Friday leading to death of seven people and waterlogging in many parts even as the deep depression over Gulf of Mannar near Ramanathapuram weakened into a depression, officials familiar with the matter said.
The India Meteorological Department said the deep depression over the Gulf of Mannar close to Ramanathapuram district’s coast remained practically stationary for 18 hours and then weakened into a depression.
“The depression is likely to remain practically stationary over the same (Ramanathapuram) region and weaken into a Well marked Low Pressure Area during the next 12 hours (by early Saturday),” the latest bulletin said.
A total of 27,391 people including 4,873 children have been evacuated and moved to relief camps across the state. The high-water levels have caused severe damage to crops as more than 40 hectares of paddy were damaged, officials familiar with the matter said.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department’s 1pm bulletin, the deep depression is likely to remain stationary over the same region and weaken into a depression during the next 12 hours and move southwestwards across Ramanathapuram district towards south Kerala and weaken into a well-marked low pressure area in subsequent 24 hours.
Chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami had announced a public holiday on December 4 for Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar and Thoothukudi and urged people to remain indoors.
Chief minister of Puducherry V Narayanaswami inspected flooded-areas and civic workers and machines were pressed to drain water. The union territory had declared a holiday for schools in the union territory.