Rain toll climbs to 38 in State

CHENNAI: Five people died in three separate rain-related incidents in the State since Wednesday evening, taking the death toll in the last three days to 38.
While Dindigul and Tiruchi lost two persons each, one died in Coimbatore. With this, as many as 16 districts have reported at least one rain related death, with Tiruchi reporting the maximum number – 6.
Standing crops on about 72,000 hectares are under a sheet of water, according to the Commissioner, Revenue Administration, Sakthikanta Das. As much as 90 per cent of this inundated crop is paddy and, if the rain subsides, the water is expected to run off in the next two days.