Flood alert sounded in Dharmapuri

Dharmapuri/Salem: Flood alert was sounded to the people living along the Cauvery banks and low-lying areas in Dharmapuri district after Karnataka released surplus water to the state from the Kabini dam on Thursday morning.

Officials in the neighbouring state initially released 80,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) water from the Kabini dam and the quantity was increased to 90,000cusecs in the evening.

They also released an additional 12,000cusecs water from Taraka dam after that reached full capacity.

Following the heavy rain in their catchment areas in the past couple of days, the dams in Karnataka were getting abundant water, said a source.

The Central Water Commission (CWC) officials said the inflow to the Cauvery was recorded only at 5,000cusecs at Billigundulu, the entry of the river in Tamil Nadu, until Thursday evening, despite Karnataka releasing huge quantity of water. “We expect the water released from Karnataka to reach the state on Friday morning,” an official said.

Meanwhile, the Dharmapuri collector S Malarvizhi sounded flood alert in the district and appealed the people, especially those who are living on the river banks and low-lying areas, to move to safer places.

“Coracle services at Hogenakkal and its surrounding river banks will remain suspended until further orders. Ban on people bathing in Hogenakkal Falls and Cini Falls has also been extended,” she said.

CWC officials said the inflow would increase in the upcoming days and red alert sounded across north Karnataka districts for the next three days.

Meanwhile, water inflow to the Stanley Reservoir in Mettur rose to 5,097cusecs on Thursday morning from 5,016 cusecs on Wednesday. The water level in the dam was recoded at 54.01ft. Officials said 1,000cusecs water was being released from the dam for drinking water purposes. They said they were closely monitoring the situation as r Karnataka has released more water to the state.