Moderate yet steady drizzle continued to wet Thanjavur district on Monday as the northeast monsoon advanced further threatening to bring more rains in the days ahead.
When there was respite from rain, the sky remained dark and cloudy all through the day. The drizzle did not escalate into a heavy downpour in many places in the district. Overall, the district recorded a total of 672.10 mm in the 24 hours ending 8.30 a.m. on Monday.
The chief amount of rainfall (in mm) recorded during the corresponding period in major centres across the district are Papanasam 72, Kumbakonam 69, Lower Anicut 67.20, Tiruvidaimarudur 52, Manjalaru 48, Ayyampettai 42, Neivasal Thenpathy 37.4, Vallam 35.5, Madukkur 34.2, Kurungulam 26, Thanjavur 24.9, Pattukottai 22, Adirampattinam 20.3. Thiruvaiyaru 20, Orathanadu 19.8 and Vettikkadu registered 15.4 mm.
With the rains spurring agricultural activity, District Collector N.Subbaiyan reviewed the availability of farm inputs and assureds farmers that adequate stocks of fertilizers and other inputs were at hand with the cooperative outlets and private dealers. He cautioned against diverting inputs meant for Thanjavur district to elsewhere and had a word of caution for hoarders and dealers who tried to jack up price due to perked up demand. The stock situation indicated that there was enough urea, Di Ammonium Phosphate and complex fertilizers with the cooperative societies and private dealers in the district.
Tiruvarur: Rain continued to drench the whole of Tiruvarur district on Monday too throwing life out of gear in many areas. Low-lying areas and road stretches sported sheets of water and farmers in some areas of the district fear that more rains could inundate their fields.
Farmers in the Kottur region of the district pleaded that more than regular attention needed to be paid to their areas to prevent flooding where samba and thalady paddy have been raised in several thousand acres. Villagers of Idayar Sangenthi and also those abutting Marakka Koraiyaru wanted further measures to prevent inundation. District Collector N.Mathivanan directed the PWD and Revenue Department officials to strengthen the bunds of Marakka Koraiyaru and also urged the officials to keep enough stocks of sand bags ready. The Collector also reviewed the situation in a special meeting he called with the heads of various government departments. The chief amount of rainfall (in mm) registered in the major centres across Tiruvarur district in the 24 hours ending 8-30 a.m. on Monday included Kudavasal 115.8, Tiruthuraipoondi 84.20, Tiruvarur and Pandavaiyaru Head 84 each, Nannilam 75.6, Nidamangalam 73, Mannargudi 64.04, Valangaiman 63.2 and Muthupettai 31mm.
Pudukottai: Parts of the district experienced moderate showers on Monday. For the 24 hours ended at 8 a.m. on Monday, Kattumavadi registered a maximum of 44 mm of rain followed by Manamelkudi 38, Gandarvakottai 29, Aranthangi 28, Ayinkudi 18.6, Annavasal 11 mm each.
