Rain lashes parts of Tamil Nadu, sanitation worker electrocuted in Chennai

Many places in Tamil Nadu including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvannamalai districts, received moderate to heavy overnight rains.

A sanitation worker who inadvertently stepped on a fallen live electric wire was electrocuted in the city early on Saturday, police said.

The sanitation worker, identified as Varalakshmi, had waded through stagnant water at Kannagi Nagar here, hardly noticing a severed electric wire. She died due to electrocution, police said.


Meanwhile, a solatium of Rs 20 lakh was given immediately to her family.

The overnight downpour caused water to stagnate in several areas in Chennai and a huge tree was uprooted near Loyola College in Nungambakkam.

City traffic police personnel and Greater Chennai Corporation workers rushed to the spot and cleared the tree branches and restored traffic in the area.

A traffic police official claimed that the subways in the city were cleared of stagnant water and urged the residents to commute safely.

The weather office has forecast moderate to severe thunderstorms over Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Tiruvannamlai, Villupuram and Nagapattinam districts.

Saturday's rain is the straight second day of sharp showers in Chennai, its suburbs and other parts.

Meanwhile, official sources said as per the instructions of Chief Minister M K Stalin, the Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian presented a cheque of Rs 20 lakh to the family of the electrocution victim, on behalf of the State electricity board and the Urbaser Sumeet company, where the deceased was employed.

Sholinganallur MLA S Aravind Ramesh, and Urbaser Sumeet Chief Executive Officer Mohammed Syed were also present on the occasion.

Later, talking to reporters, Subramanian said the victim was on her way to work when the incident occurred. "She is survived by her husband G Ravi, two children -- a girl who is doing her Class 7 and a boy studying Class 4 in a private school," he said.

The senior party leader assured that the DMK would take care of the educational expenses of the two children, as the father is undergoing treatment.

Post his recovery, Urbaser Summeet company has assured that they would offer him a suitable job, he added.