Tamil Nadu has recorded 14 deaths in rain-related incidents since the onset of the northeast monsoon, while the Nilgiris has reported 62 landslides, state Revenue and Disaster Management Minister K A Sengottaiyan said on Monday after reviewing monsoon preparedness with senior officials.
The minister said the deaths were linked to lightning strikes and other rain-related incidents across the state. The government has extended financial assistance to the families of those who died, he said. His statement came amid media reports that more than 30 people had died in rain-related incidents.
Sengottaiyan said the department was examining the additional deaths to determine whether they were caused by rainfall or by natural causes. District collectors have been asked to investigate the cases and submit reports to the government before the final number is established.
The Nilgiris has emerged as the most significant concentration of reported landslide activity in the update, with 62 incidents recorded since the monsoon began. The minister said an expert team had been dispatched to the district to study the recent landslides. The announcement indicates that the government is treating the incidents as a district-level hazard requiring technical assessment, in addition to immediate response measures.
A landslide in the Nilgiris also killed Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus driver Kanagaraj and injured conductor Kesavan. The bus was caught in a landslide, killing Kanagaraj at the site and leaving Kesavan with injuries to his hand. The government has announced a solatium of Rs 4 lakh for Kanagaraj’s family, while Kesavan is undergoing treatment.
The update also covered rainfall and waterlogging in the western districts. Tirupur and Coimbatore received heavy rainfall between 2pm and 7pm on Sunday, leading to waterlogging in several locations. According to the minister, the waterlogging had been cleared by 4am on Monday and normal conditions had been restored.
The government said it was issuing rain-related information and alerts to the public without delay. The review meeting focused on monsoon preparedness and was attended by senior officials from the disaster management department. The continuing assessment by district collectors will determine whether the number of confirmed rain-related deaths increases after the remaining cases are examined.
