By IANS
Chennai : Heavy rains, which lashed Tamil Nadu during the past 36 hours, abated to some extent Thursday evening but left 30 people dead due to electrocution, drowning and house collapses.
The southern metropolis Chennai and major cities like Madurai and Karur were flooded, throwing life out of gear.
Major breaches were reported in the highway connecting Chennai to the state’s hinterland. One of the stretches near Madurai had a six-kilometre long traffic jam.
The water level in the Cauvery river continued to rise in central Tamil Nadu after heavy inflow due to copious rainfall in the neighbouring Karnataka.
Authorities said the water level at Mettur Dam was 105 feet – 15 feet above the full capacity. As a precautionary measure villages on the banks of river are being evacuated.
The Thanjavur delta region is also flooded with sheets of water laying waste hundreds of hectares of paddy fields.
The Met Office has forecast more rain for Thursday night and Friday.