Heavy Rain Lashes Coimbatore Outskirts; Traffic Disrupted on Mettupalayam Road Stretch

Coimbatore: Heavy rain lashed several parts of Coimbatore's outskirts on Monday evening, bringing much-needed relief from the sweltering heat, even as a motorist narrowly escaped injury after falling into floodwaters near a check dam in Narasimhanaickenpalayam. While most parts of the city received little or no rain, with only mild drizzle reported in some areas, several suburban stretches witnessed good rainfall. Thudiyalur, Periyanaickenpalayam, Narasimhanaickenpalayam, Kavundampalayam and G.N. Mills were among the areas that received heavy rain for nearly an hour, with Narasimhanaickenpalayam witnessing particularly good rainfall. Traffic snarls were reported along the Mettupalayam road stretch and water logging was also reported in several areas. Motorists were seen travelling with their headlights on, with cars queued up through the stretch. The heavy rain also led to flooding near the Pudhupalayam check dam in Narasimhanaickenpalayam. The check dam filled up and overflowed, resulting in a strong flow of water beneath the railway overbridge. A motorist attempting to cross the flooded stretch on a two-wheeler reportedly lost his balance and fell into the water. People nearby immediately rushed to his aid and rescued him. The Chennai Meteorological Centre had forecast heavy rain in Coimbatore, Nilgiris and Tiruppur districts on Monday. While rainfall remained limited in most parts of the city, the good rains in the outskirts brought considerable relief from the prevailing heat.