Currently, Damiraparani, which overflowed due to heavy rain, faced an immense flood in the same places on the same dates as 100 years ago, in 1923. This occurrence is a monumental surprise in history!
Caused by the inundation of the Kumari Coastal Basin, significant flooding occurred in four districts – Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Kanyakumari, and Tenkasi. Despite the tremendous rainfall, Tirunelveli district continues to remain submerged even now.
A startling aspect in history is that 100 years ago, on December 16 and 17, before 1923, Tirunelveli district witnessed a similar flood. The fact that similar floods are happening in the same places and with similar intensity as 1923 was reported in the Hindu newspaper released on December 20.
The information received in the ‘Madura Floods’ article published in the Hindu on December 20, 1923, includes:
Damiraparani River has been overflowing for the past 4 days.
The major tanks in Tirunelveli have reached their brim due to excessive water.
Water is reaching 3 to 5 feet high in the villages of Saniyasi Gramam, Kailasapuram, Veerarakavapuram, and Sindhubunthurai in Tirunelveli.
Train stations such as Palam Sri Vaikuntam, Thiruchendur, and Azhvar Thirunagar were submerged in water for three days.
Railway tracks, employee residences, and railway properties have all been inundated.
Sri Vaikuntam has been heavily flooded.
Poles supporting railway tracks have been washed away.
There is no passage on the railway route from Tenkasi to Thiruvananthapuram.
The news published in The Hindu on December 20, 1923, detailed the events of that day.
Similarly, many parts of present-day Tirunelveli, including Sindhubunthurai and Veerarakavapuram, are submerged in several feet of water. Sri Vaikuntam railway station was submerged on the north side of the flooded water for three days. The Senthoor Express train, running from Sri Vaikuntam railway station, was stranded with more than 700 passengers, necessitating a rescue operation by the army.
This clearly indicates the severity of the situation.”