Tamil Nadu: Heavy rain damaged crops in Nagapattinam, complain farmers

Nagapattinam (Tamil Nadu) [India], November 15 (ANI): Heavy rainfall in Tamil Nadu's Nagapattinam district has caused severe damage to around 500 acres of paddy crop cultivation, complained Kuruvai farmers of the region.
Since the onset of the Northeast Monsoon, Nagapattinam recorded heavy rainfall in isolated places. In the past 24 hours, Nagapattinam recorded 15 cm rainfall and on November 15 Nagapattinam recorded 11 cm rainfall.
Nagapattinam is basically a delta district that hugely depends on agriculture. Farmers of the region claim that many acres of crops in several places were ready for final cultivation but continuous rains in the past two days have affected them badly.
Farmers of the Kadamangudi region claimed that around 500 acres of paddy crops, waiting for final cultivation, were inundated in heavy rainfall.
Speaking to ANI, SDT Kannan, a farmer said, "Only 4 days were there for the final cultivation of paddy crops but in between this rainfall have inundated the crops"
Another farmer Prema said, "We cultivated crops by taking loans but now heavy rainfall inundated them. There is no way to drain the water. We are shattered."
Likewise in Myladuthurai farmers claim 6000 acres of Samba Thaladi crops were inundated.
Tamil Nadu Disaster Management Minister KKSSR Ramachandran on November 14, while speaking to reporters said that the department is already in touch with the Agriculture Department and assured that the government will take appropriate action.
As rain lashed several parts of Chennai and Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Puducherry and Karaikal areas today under the influence of the Northeast monsoon, the minister further said that the situation is under control.
"The State Government has taken all precautionary measures. The situation is under control. The respective district administrations are taking proper measures to face the rains," he added.
Agricultural and Farmer's Welfare Minister MRK Pannerselvam also assured to take appropriate action to help the farmers.
"Two days of rainfall have inundated the crops. Usually, this won't damage the crops and Officials are monitoring the situation. If rainfall continues and if rain water not drained from the field Government will take required action," Minister Pannerselvam said.
Meanwhile, the Chennai Regional Metrology Department has predicted heavy rainfall for various districts in Tamil Nadu for the next 4 days.
The Indian Regional Metrology Department Chennai said, "Under the influence of the upper air cyclonic circulation over Andaman-Nicobar Islands and adjoining areas of the Andaman Sea and Southeast Bay of Bengal, a low-pressure area has formed over the Southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining Andaman Nicobar Islands. The associated cyclonic circulation extends up to upper tropospheric levels, tilting southwestward with height. It is likely to move west-northwestward and concentrate into a Depression over the West Central Bay of Bengal around November 16."
On November 16 and 17, heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Thoothukudi, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Dindigul, Sivaganga, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli, Perambalur, Ariyalur and Cuddalore districts of Tamil Nadu. (ANI)