Mannargudi: Continuous heavy rainfall over the past several days has left vast stretches of paddy fields submerged in Mannargudi, causing extensive crop damage and pushing farmers into distress.

Approximatly, 3.5 lakh acres were under Samba and Thaladi paddy cultivation across Thiruvarur district. Of this, more than 20,000 acres of standing crops have been inundated following persistent rains over the last ten days.

Farmers had earlier managed to drain excess water from their fields, but the downpour since November 28 resulted in renewed waterlogging in several areas, including Thalaiamangalam, Ethakkudi Vadapadi, Ponnamangalam, Kurichi and Chozhapandi, severely damaging thousands of acres of paddy.

Many farmers who borrowed money for this season's operations are now pleading with the chief minister of Tamil Nadu to strengthen canal infrastructure and offer sufficient compensation in order to avoid future losses of this kind.