Following incessant overnight rain, Collector V.P. Jayaseelan declared a holiday for all schools in Virudhunagar district on Thursday.
All the 12 rain gauge stations in the district recorded good rainfall with the average being 47.33 mm for the district till 6 a.m. on Thursday. However, the areas along the Western ghats recorded the most rain.
The chief amount of rainfall was reported at Pilavakkal with 90.60 mm. This was followed by Srivilliputtur 82 mm and Rajapalayam 80 mm.
Rainfall recorded in other stations is (in mm): Virudhunagar 65, Sattur 41, Sivakasi 38, Kovilankulam 36.40, Kariyapatti 30.2, Aruppukottai 30, Vembakottai 28, Watrap 24.80 and Tiruchuli 22.
Houses damaged
An official said that six houses were partially damaged in Rajapalayam, Srivilliputtur and Watrap taluks. However, no one was injured.
Meanwhile, Periyar Pilavakkal dam which has water upto its brim is getting 136.76 cusecs of water. The Water Resources Department officials are releasing 133.33 cusecs from the reservoir as a precautionary measure.
Farmers are eagerly waiting for release of water for irrigation under Pilavakkal Irrigation system.
Similarly, Sasthakoil dam has reached the storage capacity of 36.47 mcft. While the dam is receiving 300 cusecs of water, 80 cusecs is being released through the weirs.
Kullur Sandhai dam also had water to its full capacity of 127 mcft. The inflow of 12.21 cusecs was being discharged. Kovilar dam had 60.1 mcft of storage as against the full capacity of 133 mcft.
Other dams in the district, including Vembakottai, Golwarpatti, Anaikuttam and Irukkangudi, do not have significant storage.