Fishermen in hamlets along the coast in Chengalpet and Villupuram districts are in a spot of bother after rain brought by Cyclone Fengal flooded the Then Pennai River and in turn eroded parts of the shoreline, making it difficult to moor boats near the shore. Several people have moved their boats to places inland.
S Sathishkumar of Alambarai Kuppam near Kalpakkam i Chengalpet district said there were 70 fibre boats and 100 small boats in the hamlet. On the day the village experienced heavy downpour the shoreline got eroded. “Luckily, boats were not damaged heavily, but nets worth 40 lakh were destroyed,” he said. A team of fisheries department officials inspected the hamlet on Tuesday and assured the fishermen some financial assistance. However, Satishkumar said the compensation would be small in relation to the loss incurred.
Boats belonging to people in the hamlet are now moored in a private plot near Alambarai fort.
M Arumugam, a fisherman from Kanathur Reddy Kuppam in Chengalpet district which was also badly affected, said surplus water from the Then Pennayar had washed away scores of nets. “I kept my nets near the shore and on the day when the cyclone hit the coast, the nets were washed away. The nets were placed in an elevated spot, but despite this they were washed away. I lost nets worth about 2.50 lakh,” he said.
Several boat owners, anticipating damage due to the cyclone following warnings from the authorities, took their vessels far from the shore. Last time, this stretch of the east coast had faced problems due to waves reaching great heights. This time it is the flooding of the river which has caused heavy damage.