The north-east monsoon continued to remain vigorous over the Cauvery delta region, especially Nagapattinam district, on Saturday. Most parts of Nagapattinam district were battered by heavy rainfall for the sixth consecutive day on Saturday. Thalaignayiru bore the brunt on Friday, registering 270 mm of rainfall during the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 a.m. on Saturday. Heavy rain lashed Tirupoondi (241.80 mm), Vedaranyam (160.40 mm), Mayiladuthurai (107.30 mm) and Sirkazhi (106.70 mm), disrupting normal life in the district to a large extent. Thirthuraipoondi in Tiruvarur district registered 126.80 mm during the same period. With the rain continuing, samba and thalady crops in thousands of hectares have been submerged in Nagapattinam district over the past few days. Farmers fear that most of the directly sown crop, about 10 to 15 days old, will decay. Agriculture Department while conceding the possibility, however, say that an assessment of the damage could be made only after the water drains. It has been estimated that about 76,600 hectares of paddy fields have been inundated in the district as on Saturday. In many places the crops have been under water for five to six days. “Though the water is draining, the crops remain inundated as it is still raining,” an official said. Several residential areas in Nagapattinam, Thalaignayiru and Sirkazhi were inundated with rainwater entering houses in low-lying areas. Several roads in Nagapattinam were inundated and rainwater entered a few low- lying huts at Kaliamman Temple Street. Residents shifted Disaster response teams, revenue and police officials shifted residents to safety wherever water logging was reported in residential areas. Salt pans in Vedaranyam have been hit adversely. Fishermen have abstained from venturing into the sea over the past week due to rough sea conditions. A seven-year-old boy, Karthi of Thiruvali near Sirkazhi, who went missing since Friday, was found dead. He had apparently drowned in a canal. The Thiruvenkadu police were investigating. In Tiruvarur district, two persons sustained injuries after plaster from the roof of a group house peeled off and fell at Nemmeli on Friday. The injured Suvitha and Gowthaman have been admitted to the Nannilam Government Hospital. Following the incident, Collector ordered shifting of residents of about 30 group houses in the area to a relief centre. Wall collapses were reported at five houses in Thanjavur district. However, there was no loss of lives. Inmates of the Government Adi Dravida Girl Students Hostel were sent home as a safety measure after a portion of the plaster on the roof of the front portico of the building fell. Arterial roads in Thanjavur, Kumbakondam and Pattukottai in the district were also inundated. Children drown Two children drowned while bathing in a canal at Manamelkudi in Pudukottai district. The dead were identified as Murshid (10) and Ismail (7) of Manamelkudi. Manamelkudi in the district recorded 22 mm of rainfall in the preceding 24-hours till Saturday morning. However, there was not much rain elsewhere in Pudukottai district. Rainfall recorded in other parts of the delta region during the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 a.m. on Saturday (in mm): Kollidam 94; Nagapattinam 92.80; Thalaignayiru 82; Tranquebar 57; Tiruvarur 54.60; Nannilam 50.20; Kodavasal 36.80; Valangaiman 35.20; Pandavayar Head 38.80; Mannargudi 38; Needamangalam 38; Muthupet 46; Manjalaru 47.80; Madukkur 40.60; Lower Anicut 37.20; Kumbakonam and Thiruvidaimarudhur 37 each; Ayyampettai and Pattukottai 34 each; Pappanasam and Vettikadu 27 each; Adirampattinam 26.60 and Thiruvaiyaru 15. Source - http://www.thehindu.com