Rain brings respite to Madurai, but disrupts traffic

MADURAI: Heavy rain that lashed the city on Tuesday resulted in disruption of traffic in rural areas late in the night as several trees fell down due to heavy winds. However, the rainfall, which stood at 18.6mm, brought some respite to residents.
Madurai has been experiencing scorching temperatures during the day time for the past few days, and water scarcity was also looming large.However, on Tuesday the day remained cloudy and heavy showers lashed the city and its outskirts in the evening. In the city, women were seen collecting the rainwater in pots, in places like Tahsildar Nagar, which is reeling under a water crisis. The women said they are using potable water in a rationed manner and rainwater would help them a little for the next few days. Most of the households in Tahsildar Nagar depend on corporation water, as their borewells have gone dry.
Many places became flooded after the rain. However, in Melur and surrounding areas, the rain was accompanied by heavy winds that brought down trees. Buses on the Sivaganga – Melur route had to be stopped, as large trees and branches came down in many places. Somasundaram, a farmer said that branches were seen hanging on electric poles. Banana crops were also destroyed due to the heavy rain.