Standing paddy crop submerged in rain in Cuddalore district

Heavy rains cause crop damage in Cuddalore & Villupuram districts; over 7,000 acres of paddy submerged.

Heavy rain on Sunday night and Monday have inundated large tracts of paddy crop in several villages in the tail-end Delta region of Cuddalore district. The heavy rain prompted the district administrations of Cuddalore and Villupuram to declare a holiday for schools and colleges in the region.

According to the official sources, Chidambaram region has been the worst affected. Paddy field in over 25 villages in Kattumannarkovil, Kumaratchi and Chidambaram blocks, that were ready for harvest, were completely submerged.

They said the extent of crop damage was yet to be assessed.

Chidambaram received a maximum of 228.8 mm of rainfall in the 24-hour period, that ended at 8.30 a.m. on Monday, while Bhuvanagiri recorded 189 mm. The rainfall recorded in other areas in Cuddalore district are: Sethiyathope 155 mm, Annamalai Nagar 147.8 mm, Kattumannarkovil 143 mm and Cuddalore 136.6 mm.

Marakkanam in Villupuram district recorded 133 mm during the same period. Vanur recorded 120 mm of rainfall followed by Villupuram and Koliyanur with 86 mm. The rain also caused inundation of paddy crops that were ready for harvest in Villupuram district.

According to K.V. Elangeeran, president of Cauvery Delta Farmers Federation, “Over 7,000 acres of paddy crop have been completely submerged in rainwater across Cuddalore district. Farmers are worried over the fate of the standing crops that were ready for harvest. The extent of crop damages would be known only after water starts receding from the fields.”