The heavy rain that lashed the southern districts of Tamil Nadu has completely wiped out farmland in Thoothukudi district, leaving farmers high and dry.
Thousands of acres of farmland had been entirely inundated owing to the heavy-rain induced flood. While farmers were hoping for the northeast monsoon to bring adequate rain, they had not predicted that the torrential rainfall would throw their lives apart. Though heavy downpour in the past have damaged crops, this time, the extent of damage was unprecedented, they said.
According to the district administration, till December 25, of a total of 1,80,000 hectares (ha) of agricultural land in Thoothukudi district, 1,48,037 ha had been damaged in 12 blocks — Alwarthitunagari, Karungulam, Kayathar, Kovilpatti, Ottapidaram, Pudur, Sathankulam, Srivaikuntam, Thoothukudi, Tiruchendur, Udangudi and Vilathikulam.
