Heavy rainfall for about three to four hours in the early hours of Saturday brought normal life to a halt in Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai and in the neighbouring Thoothukudi district.
Since 3 a.m., the sharp showers gradually increased and a heavy downpour was experienced till 7 a.m., residents in Palayamkottai said. The rainfall, which hit the town after about 10 days of dry spell, came as a surprise to many residents. The rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning, led to inundation in many localities.
