Heavy rains in Salem claims life of schoolboy, one other

Salem: A record 133.80 mm rainfall that pounded Salem and its suburbs overnight on Sunday left the steel town inundated at many places, even as the heavy downpour claimed at least two lives including of a 16-year-old schoolboy.

While Salem district recorded a high of 362 mm with the town taking the brunt of the heavy precipitation on Sunday night, scores of low-lying areas and nearby villages were submerged.

In several residential areas at Ammapettai, Kichipalayam, Narayana Nagar, Peramanur, Pachhapatti, Kalarampatti, Karungalpatti, Pulikuthi Theru, Asthampatti, Shankar Nagar, Arisipalayam, Shevapet and Sooramangalam among others, streets were under water, police and fire brigade sources said.

Damage to household articles due to flash flood was total in places like Seelanaickanpatti and Peramanur. People were put to severe hardship at various places as it rained till 3 am in the wee hours of Monday. Power breakdown added to their woes.  

On the Salem-Bengaluru NH, water surrounded the butterfly over-bridge to knee-deep level, paralyzing traffic for hours. Traffic was later diverted through an alternate road.

People at various places on Monday were furious at the Salem municipal administration, blaming the inundation mess to the non-silting of the Rajavaikal canal and unfinished underground drainage work.

In Narayana Nagar, Mohammad Shad, a tenth class student was tragically washed away in the flash floods in a local canal when he was returning with his family members and friends after viewing a night cinema show. Fire and Rescue services personnel were still looking for the missing boy till Monday evening.  

The Salem collector, Ms. Rohini Bhajubhakare visited the flood-hit areas and oversaw immediate relief works with the city corporation commissioner. She personally called on the family of the Muslim boy who was washed away and consoled his parents. The collector also ordered an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the boy’s family.

She assured the affected people that such extensive water logging will not recur once the underground drainage works were completed.