TIRUCHY: Even as farmers in the delta region were mid-way through the samba harvest, the heavy rains on Thursday wreaked havoc, damaging the crops in a few districts. The farmers have demanded an immediate crop damage assessment by the government authorities.

According to the Agriculture department, over 10.50 lakh acre of samba and thaladi were cultivated in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam districts of which harvest in around 2.30 lakh acres has been completed and the rest was underway.

Against such a backdrop, the low pressure in the Bay of Bengal resulted in moderate to heavy rains in the districts like Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai and Tiruvarur and some parts of Thanjavur. Since there was rain coupled with heavy wind flow, the crops in several regions withered and got ruined. Farmers claimed at least 40,000 acres of crops ready for harvest were damaged.

Though the rainwater pooled in the field drained gradually in many areas, the farmers claimed it affected the harvest activities. The farmers who had hired the harvester machines were not able to use them and they said they stare at losses. Meanwhile, with DPCs instructed to procure paddy below 19 per cent moisture content, the farmers found it very difficult to save the harvested paddy from drenching. Many farmers had covered the paddy with tarpaulin and so piles of paddy were witnessed in almost all the DPCs.

The farmers urged the officials to immediately conduct the crop damage assessment and recommend proper compensation.

CHENNAI: The depression formed over the Bay of Bengal crossed the coast in Sri Lanka’s Tirukonamalai during the early hours of Thursday. Due to the impact, several parts of Tamil Nadu received mild to moderate showers on Wednesday night and Thursday early morning.

Nagapattinam received a highest of 7 cm of rainfall, Mayiladuthurai and Ramanathapuram received 3 cm of rainfall, while Thanjavur and Tiruvarur received 1-2 cm of rainfall.

The depression is likely to move further south-westwards and prevail over Kanniyakumari and adjacent Gulf of Mannar areas on Friday morning.

Due to this shift of depression, light to moderate rain with thundershower is likely at most parts of the southeast districts and a few places over northeastern districts.

The Regional Meteorological Centre issued an orange alert stating that heavy to very heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli on Thursday. Meanwhile, yellow alert was issued on Friday for Kanniyakumari, Tenkasi, Pudukkottai, Sivaganga, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthruai.

On Friday, heavy rain is also likely to occur at isolated places over Kanniyakumari, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli and Thootukudi. The RMC stated that heavy rain is expected at one or two places in Kanniyakumari, Tenkasi, Sivaganga, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai in the next 48 hours. Light moderate rain may occur at a couple of places in on Saturday too.

In Chennai, the sky is very likely going to remain cloudy with light or moderate rain at a couple of places. The maximum temperature will be around 29 degree Celsius and the minimum temperature will be around 23-24 degree Celsius on Friday.

Cyclonic winds with a speed of 40 to 45 kmph and occasional gusts of 55 kmph are expected over coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, Gulf of Mannar and Kanniyakumari sea. Thus, fishermen are advised not to go to these areas for next two days.