9(L)/TN/S/O

NEW INDIAN EXPRESS/CHENNAI/26/10/2007

Landslide in Yercaud

Heavy downpour washed away a 10- metre stretch near the third hairpin bend on the arterial Salem-Yercaud ghat road. Stone walls raised to 20 ft and sand bags along with a large portion of the road were washed

Salem

Rain and thunder showers triggered a landslide and washed away a portion of the arterial SalemYercaud ghat road near here on Thursday.

Heavy downpour in Salem district, particularly in the hill town of Yercaud, washed away a 10-metre stretch near the third hairpin bend on the arterial Salem-Yercaud ghat road. As a result, movement of traffic was badly affected for several hours.

The same stretch was affected by rains last month.

However, as the landslide had taken place during the Chief Minister's visit here, officials had repaired the stretch on a warfooting then.

Stone walls were raised to 20 ft and sand bags were placed to protect further damage to the road side.

But, the stone wall and sand bags along with a large portion of the road were washed away on Thursday due to continuous rain for two days.

The road has not been closed to traffic as yet.

Officials of the highway department and the Yercaud union have inspected the damaged stretch and employed staff to repair the key ghat road linking Yercaud with Salem city.

Fortunately, the city witnessed less showers on Thursday, as against the previous two days.

ROOFS COME DOWN: Meanwhile, the roofs of a couple of houses collapsed due to heavy rain at Carpet Street in Ponnammapet in the city on Thursday.

However, no casualties or injuries were reported as the incidents occurred in the afternoon, when residents were away.

The residents in the area said the roofs came down after the walls collapsed due to heavy rains.

The district administration declared a holiday for schools in the city on Thursday.

Coincidentally, district revenue officer M Rajaratinam convened a meeting and discussed the precautions to be taken during the monsoon season with revenue officials, the police department and fire and rescue services personnel.

INFLOW INCREASES AT METTUR DAM:

Thanks to heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of the Mettur dam, inflow has increased to the Mettur Stanley Reservoir on Thursday.

According to PWD officials, the dam had received 53,224 cusecs by about 4 p.m.

today.

The water level stood at 113.04 feet, while the capacity was 82.8 tmcft (Thousand Million Cubic Feet).

Water discharge for delta irrigation from the dam had been closed lately as a result of flood-like situation in southern districts.

With the water level increasing steadily, the dam is expected to reach FRL (Full Reservoir Level) of 120 feet in less than a fortnight.

Rain and thunder showers triggered a landslide and washed away a portion of the arterial Salem- Yercaud ghat road near here on Thursday. Heavy downpour in Salem district, particularly in the hill town of Yercaud, washed away a 10-metre stretch near the third hairpin bend on the arterial Salem-Yercaud ghat road. As a result, movement of traffic was badly affected for several hours. The same stretch was affected by rains last month. However, as the landslide had taken place during the Chief Minister's visit here, officials had repaired the stretch on a warfooting then. Stone walls were raised to 20 ft and sand bags were placed to protect further damage to the road side. But, the stone wall and sand bags along with a large portion of the road were washed away on Thursday due to continuous rain for two days. The road has not been closed to traffic as yet. Officials of the highway department and the Yercaud union have inspected the damaged stretch and employed staff to repair the key ghat road linking Yercaud with Salem city. Fortunately, the city wit- nessed less showers on Thursday, as against the pre- vious two days. ROOFS COME DOWN: Meanwhile, the roofs of a couple of houses collapsed due to heavy rain at Carpet Street in Ponnammapet in the city on Thursday. However, no casualties or injuries were reported as the incidents occurred in the afternoon, when residents were away. The residents in the area said the roofs came down after the walls collapsed due to heavy rains. The district administration declared a holiday for schools in the city on Thursday. Coincidentally, district revenue officer M Rajaratinam convened a meeting and discussed the precautions to be taken dur- ing the monsoon season with revenue officials, the police department and fire and res- cue services personnel. INFLOW INCREASES AT METTUR DAM: Thanks to heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of the Mettur dam, inflow has increased to the Mettur Stanley Reservoir on Thursday. According to PWD offi- cials, the dam had received 53,224 cusecs by about 4 p.m. today. The water level stood at 113.04 feet, while the capaci- ty was 82.8 tmcft (Thousand Million Cubic Feet). Water discharge for delta irrigation from the dam had been closed lately as a result of flood-like situation in southern districts. With the water level increasing steadily, the dam is expected to reach FRL (Full Reservoir Level) of 120 feet in less than a fortnight.