Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu, along with Virudhunagar Collector N.O. Sukhaputra, inspecting Vembakottai dam following incessant rain in Virudhunagar district on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Three persons have died in rain-related incidents in Virudhunagar district since October 17, according to Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu. On Tuesday, the Minister reviewed the state of preparedness by Virudhunagar district administration to face the challenges of Northeast Monsoon.
The Minister, in the presence of Virudhunagar District Collector N.O. Sukahputra, also inspected Vembakottai and Pilavakkal Periyar dams that have been receiving a steady inflow of water.
Ramachandran, 52, of Samuseegapuram near Rajapalayam was washed away when he tried to cross a causeway that was submerged by gushing rainwater on Friday night, and his body was recovered the next day.
Two persons were killed in separate incidents of wall collapse in the district.
V. Bhavani, 18, of Vellaiyapuram near Tiruthangal was injured after the mud wall of her house collapsed on Friday. She succumbed to injuries at hospital on Tuesday. In the other incident, K. Veeranan, 75, of Kottaiyur near Watrap was killed in wall collapse on Sunday.
The Minister said a compensation of ₹4 lakh each would be given to the families of those killed at the earliest. However, he was quick to add Chief Minister M. K. Stalin had instructed to ensure that no more loss of lives were reported due to rain.
“The district administration is ready to face all the challenges of the monsoon,” he said, adding 19 huts were damaged in the rain reported in the district in the last two days. Similarly, 35 sheep were killed in a wall collapse.
All precautionary measures had been taken and officers of various departments were monitoring the situation closely. “The local bodies have been instructed to keep a watch on 15 places identified as vulnerable to water stagnation,” he said.
Mr. Thennarasu said the inflow to all the dams were being closely monitored as the water level was rising very fast.
Later inspecting Pilavakkal Periyar dam, the Minister said water was being released from the dam as a precautionary measure. The dam had 202.5 metres of water as against its maximum level of 204.5 metres. While the inflow as 347 cusecs, the officials were releasing 402 cusecs to keep a buffer storage to mitigate any sudden inflow to the reservoir, he said.
He said Anaikuttam dam could store water this year if Arjuna river got adequate inflow of water.
Published – October 21, 2025 07:43 pm IST
