Two die of electrocution as heavy rain lashes Salem district

Heavy rain lashed various parts of Salem district on Thursday (September 18, 2025) night, and two people died of electrocution after an electric cable snapped due to the rain.

Rain began to pour in various parts of the district on Thursday evening and continued until midnight, with heavy downpours reported in areas under Salem Corporation. In the early hours of Friday, the intensity of the rain decreased, and Salem city experienced light drizzles by morning. Due to the heavy overnight rain, water stagnated in several parts of the city, including Nethimedu, Ammapet, Ponnammapet, Five Roads, Four Roads, Pallapatti, Kitchipalayam, Annathanapatti, Hasthampatti, and Sankar Nagar.

Perumal, 45, a resident of Kuppanaickanur near Omalur, was employed at a dyeing factory in Mettur. On Thursday night, he and his colleague Raji, 35, a resident of Kanjanaickenpatti, were returning to Kuppanaickanur by bike. As they neared the Vinayakar Temple in Kuppanaickanur, an electric cable snapped due to heavy rain and strong winds and fell onto their bike, electrocuting both of them. Local residents rushed them to the hospital, but they died on the way. The Deevattipatti police have registered a case and are investigating further.

In the past 24 hours that ended at 8 a.m. on Friday, Salem district received 310.30 mm of rainfall, and the district average rainfall was 19.39 mm. Salem city received the highest amount of 45.6 mm, followed by 44.4 mm in Mettur, 42 mm in Nathakarai, 27 mm in Edappadi, 25 mm in Veeraganoor, 20 mm each at Thammampatti and Gangavalli, 19.2 mm in Yercaud, 18 mm in Omalur, 13 mm in Vazhapadi, 12.1 mm in Sankari, 8 mm in Aanaimaduvu, 7 mm in Danishpet, 4 mm in Attur, 3 mm in Kariyakovil, and 2 mm in Yethapur.