Nagapattinam Collector K.J. Praveen inspecting the Akkarapettai fishing harbour in Nagapattinam district on Monday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Several parts of the Cauvery delta region received moderate to heavy rainfall on Monday.Fishermen from the coastal areas of the region were asked to stay away from the sea and those who had ventured into the sea were asked to return immediately as the deep depression in the Bay of Bengal intensified into Cyclone Arnab.Minister for School Education, Tamil Development, Information and Publicity, Rajmohan, chaired a meeting with Collector F.

Abdul Razick and other officials to review the monsoon preparedness in Perambalur district on Monday. He told the officials to maintain a close vigil on the rainfall situation as Perambalur was part of an important road transport corridor linking Chennai with other districts in the State.Nagapattinam District Collector K.J.

Praveen Kumar, who inspected Akkaraipettai and other parts of Nagapattinam taluk on Monday, said the Northeast monsoon had intensified in the district, and most fishermen, who ventured into the sea, had returned to the shore following the cyclone warning. Steps were being taken to drain the rainwater wherever there was inundation.

A 24-hour control room has been established and members of the public can dial 04365-1077 or 04365251992 for any assistance or reporting information on rain damages, he said.Though there were reports of inundation of crops at a few places, the rain spell was, however, viewed to be largely beneficial to the samba/thaladi crop, especially the direct sown samba paddy. “The rain has been timely is Nature’s gift for us as we had been faced with depleting storage at the Mettur Dam and directly sown fields drying up. Young crops in a few low-lying areas may be inundated in the region but the water would drain,” said Cauvery Dhanapalan, president, Tamil Nadu Vivasaya Sangankalin Kootu Iyyakam.Minor breachWith Tiruchi district recording widespread rainfall over the past couple of days, a minor breach and erosion on the Kodingal canal was reported.

While the breach occurred on the canal at Mekkudi, the erosion was reported at Pulivalam. Water Resources Department officials said works were under way to plug the breach and strengthen the eroded portion of the canal bund.Three tanks filledAlthough a majority of rain-fed tanks in Tiruchi district are yet to receive appreciable inflows, three irrigation tanks under the control of the Ariyar Division of the Water Resources Department near Thuraiyur have filled up, thanks to copious inflow from catchment areas in Kolli Hills.The Jamberi, Alathudayanpatti Periya Eri and Sirunavalur Eri have received good inflow in recent days and filled to the brim, much to the joy of local farmers.Jamberi is one of the biggest irrigation tanks in the district and irrigates a fertile belt where the famous seeraga samba rice was grown.

The tank situated at Vairichettipalayam village has an ayacut area of about 1,020 acres and had a capacity to hold 72.50 million cubic feet of water.The Alathudayapatti Periya Eri, with a storage capacity of 47.55 mcft, irrigates about 325 acres and Sirunavalur tank, with a storage capacity of 32.35 mcft, irrigates about 408 acres.Viswakudi DamSeveral parts of Perambalur district too received good rainfall over the past few days. The Viswakudi reservoir, built across the Kallar in Veppanthattai block, has filled up thanks to catchment areas in the Semmalai and Pachamalai hills.

Water is being released to the Vengalam Tank from the dam with a capacity of 41.67 million cubic feet (mcft), a WRD official said.Karaikal in neighbouring Puducherry recorded the maximum of 7 cm of rainfall during the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 a.m. on Monday.The following is the chief amount of rainfall recorded in other parts of the delta region (in cm): Ayinkudi; Eachanviduthi and Ponnamaravathi – 6; Tharangambadi and Nagudi – 5; Panjapatti, Avudayarkovil and Mayiladuthurai – 4; Nagapattinam, Marungapuri, Kovilpatty, Karaiyur, Aranthangi, Manamelkudi, Aravakurichi and Manapparai – 3; Nannilam, Velankanni, Anaippalayam, Kollidam, Karur, Suthamalli Dam, Agaram Sigur, Manalmedu, Mimisal, Thogamalai, Peravurani, Valangaiman,, Kallakudi, Alangudi, Thirukuvalai, Papanasam, Tirumayam, Puthu Vettakudi, Navalur Kottapattu, Sembanarkoil, K.Paramathi, Kilanilai, Krishnapuram and Ponnaniyar Dam – 2.