Chennai, 23 Aug

While moderate to heavy rain was witnessed in several districts of Tamil Nadu, a sanitation worker died after being electrocuted on Saturday.

Many places in the state including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvannamalai districts received moderate to heavy rain between Thursday night and Friday morning.

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

She was wading through stagnant water at Kannagi Nagar here, during her early morning cleaning work, without noticing a severed electric wire. She died due to electrocution, police said.

The government offered a solatium of Rs 20 lakh to her family.

According to official sources, as per the instructions of Chief Minister MK 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.

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.