VELLORE: The Palar River in Vellore is witnessing massive flooding, with the discharge of 1,04,054 cusecs in the early hours of Friday, the highest in recorded history. The water recordings at the Palar Anaicut Dam, built across the river near Walajah in Ranipet, showed that the flow crossed one lakh cusecs around 5.40 am. In the wake of heavy rains, Palar is in full spate in the combined Vellore district —Vellore, Ranipet, and Tirupattur — and in neighbouring States AP and Karnataka.
According to a Public Works Department (PWD) officer, “About 98,000 cusecs were discharged from the dam in 1991, the most in the last three decades. After 2000, the maximum discharge of 40,190 cusecs, was recorded last year. But this year, the flow touched 1,04,054 cusecs before gradually reducing to 91,256 cusecs on Friday evening.” The river’s current flow capacity is 1,70,000 cusecs, the officer added.
The swollen river sparked fears among residents in low-lying areas. Due to the floods, hundreds of people were marooned. A handful of locals were washed away, and some drowned. Thousands of acres of farmlands were inundated, damaging crops ready for harvest.
Thenpennai inundates 60 villages, 100 other areas
Cuddalore: After the Thenpennai River in Cuddalore rose to 1.2 lakh cusecs, water inundated 60 villages and over 100 residential areas in Cuddalore. The areas on the banks of the river spanning the from district border Arasur to the estuary at Thazhanguda were affected. Following heavy rains over the past few weeks in the river’s catchment areas at Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram districts, the level in Thenpennai rose.