The meteorological department has forecast heavy-to-very-heavy rainfall in Kanniyakumari.
A seventeen-year-old boy died after flash floods hit the Courtrallam waterfalls in the Tenkasi district of Tamil Nadu. The tragedy struck when hundreds of people taking baths were struck off guard by flash floods at the waterfall amid heavy rain forecast by the weather office.
Videos now viral on social media show panic-struck people, including children, running from the waterfalls as the flash flood chased.
The boy, Ashwin, was found trapped in boulders. Officials said heavy rains on the hills caused a sudden surge in the flow.
In another incident, a person was killed after the roof of a building collapsed following heavy rains in Madurai city.
Mylaudy in Kanniyakumari received 7 cm of rain in 24 hours, Tiruchendur and Valparai towns received 6 cm of rain, while Cuddalore received 5 cm of rain. Chennai, however, received only mild showers.
The rains did bring good relief from the sweltering heat.
Fishermen avoided venturing into the sea in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari districts for the second day. In Thoothukudi, still recovering from the 2023 floods, salt pans got inundated, causing severe losses. In Thiruvarur, paddy crops, nearly ready for harvest, were flooded.
The meteorological department has forecast heavy-to-very-heavy rainfall in Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts over the next three days. It has forecast heavy rains for Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Trichy, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Thiruvarur, Cuddalore and Karaikal districts.
The Collector of Nilgiris advised tourists to exercise caution or avoid travelling to the hill resort over the weekend when heavy rains are expected.