Unprecedented rains in Uthangarai and Pochampalli, Krishnagiri district, breached lakes, flooded habitations and snapped highway connectivity on Monday, December 2, 2024. Uthangarai recorded 50 cm (503 mm) of rain by 7 a.m. Monday after night-long rainfall. Heavy runoff from nearby lakes caused inundation.

Krishnagiri district received 1,952.70 mm of rain, averaging 122.04 mm, in the 24 hours to 8.30 am Monday. Uthangarai recorded 503 mm, Pochampalli 250 mm, Pambar Dam 205 mm and Barur 200.20 mm. The district had been receiving rain since Saturday due to the cyclone.

Pambar Dam recorded an inflow and outflow of 15,000 cusecs at 5 am Monday. Floodwater entered several homes, and residents were moved to relief centres. More than 30 vehicles, including cars and taxis, were submerged and washed a few metres along Parasan Lake bund near Uthangarai bus stand.

A total of 1,314 people—501 men, 662 women and 151 children—were sheltered at seven centres in Uthangarai and Pochampalli taluks. Officials reported 77 houses partially or fully damaged, along with the deaths of over 12 cows, 19 goats and about 6,000 chickens. Rain filled 143 small ponds in Uthangarai, Mathur and Kaveripattinam blocks.

• In Uthangarai taluk, three houses partially collapsed in Mittapalli, Poorukalapalli and Elachiyur. Seven-year-old Suthanthira Priyan, a Class 2 student from Mittapalli, suffered a minor leg injury and was treated at Uthangarai Government Hospital; his family took shelter with neighbours.
• A cattle shed in Puliyandapatti, Pochampalli taluk, was damaged. Overflow from Periya Eri inundated the BC Welfare Hostel in Singarapattai; eight students were moved to another Uthangarai hostel.
• Swelling of Singarapettai Thirthagirivalasai lake inundated 55 hectares of crops in Nayakkanur, Nadupatti and other villages. Officials said damage would be assessed after water receded in two or three days.
• Pambar dam recorded inflow and outflow of 3,345 cusecs at 4 pm Sunday; its level was 17.78 feet against a 19.60-foot capacity, prompting a downstream flood alert. Amatan Kuttai Lake in Eggur panchayat breached.
• Rainfall from Saturday evening to Sunday morning totalled 367.90 mm district-wide; the average was 22.99 mm. Pambar dam recorded 95 mm, Uthangarai 71 mm and Penukondapuram 46.40 mm.

Housing and Urban Development Minister S Muthusamy visited rain-affected Uthangarai and Pochampalli on Tuesday. At Mathur, he monitored a new outlet channel for surplus water from Mathur Lake and told Prabhavathi in Kamarajar Nagar that a concrete house would be built for her. At Parasan Eri near Uthangarai bus stand, more than 20 vehicles parked on the lake bund had been washed away. Relief materials were distributed to over 1,500 people at seven centres in Uthangarai and Pochampalli. More than 200 conservancy workers from Hosur City Municipal Corporation and other blocks were deployed for cleaning and chlorination.

Tourism Minister R Rajendran inspected the washed-away land bridge at Kammampatti Kaatuvalavu near Dharmapuri and urged urgent restoration. He distributed relief materials to 350 families in Kodiyur and 200 in Appanahalli Kombai, near Nallampalli, and visited inundated areas at TNSTC Nagar and Pidamaneri Road.