Toll in TN rains mounts to 70

As many as 31 people died overnight in rain related incidents in Tamil Nadu, taking the toll from the heavy outpouring over the past two weeks to 70, even as intermittent rain continued to lash the state.

Police said 27 deaths were reported on Tuesday in the Niligiris district alone due to landslides in various places. Of the total toll, 37 people died in Niligiris, five each in Tiruvarur and Villupuram districts,

three each in Dindigul and Tirunelveli, two each in Cuddalore, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar and Vellore and one each in Chennai, Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur,Tiruchirappalli, Perambalur, Madurai, Kaniyakumari, Tiruvannamalai and Theni districts.

Most of the deaths, from October 27 till date, were due to wall and roof collapses, electrocution and landslides, police said, adding that many houses were also damaged in several parts of the state.