Chennai, Aug 8 (IANS): Farmers in Tiruchi district of Tamil Nadu are a distraught lot as incessant rains have submerged crops on 750 acres of land.

Crops, including that of paddy and banana, have been under water for the past four days owing to the rising water levels across the Cauvery river banks and farmers staring at heavy losses.

Farmers are expecting the water level to recede by Monday and if that does not happen, the crops are as good as damaged.

The inflow at the Upper Anicut rising to 2.17 lakh cusec over the past few days has led to a surge in flow in both the Cauvery and Kollidam rivers. This has led to the crops being inundated.

This has led to 500 acres of paddy plantation in Lalgudi area and 250 acres of banana plantation in Thottiyam and Andanallur suffering. The Kuruvai paddy cultivation has just commenced at Lalgudi and the sudden opening of the Mettur reservoir had led to the rising water levels in Cauvery. Farmers fear that if the water level does not come down on Monday, then there won't be much hope for the paddy plantation and also the banana crops.

R. Muthukrishnan, Kuruvai paddy farmers leader in Lalgudi told IANS: "We have almost lost hope for this season's Kuruvai crops and are expecting a crop damage relief from the state government. This was the beginning of Kuruvai season and we had planted paddy here but it is difficult for these crops to survive after four consecutive days of rains and inundation."