SALEM: A flood alert has been sounded along the banks of the Cauvery and low-lying areas downstream of the Mettur dam as more water is being let out with the surge in the inflow.
The dam reached its full reservoir level of 120 feet for the fourth time this year on July 25. The water release from the Mettur dam reached 1,00,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) late on Sunday. This was necessitated as the inflow spurted from about 60,400 cusecs early morning on Sunday to 75,400 cusecs by afternoon.
Of the total volume released, around 18,000 cusecs flow through the dam’s powerhouse and tunnel powerhouse, 400 cusecs are diverted into canals for irrigation and the rest are released through all 16 gates of Ellis Saddle Surplus Channel.
Tiruchy Collector V Saravanan advised people living along Cauvery and Kollidam riverbanks, and in low-lying areas to move to safer spots. “The surplus water from the Mettur dam is expected to reach Mukkombu by Monday. Once it arrives, the discharge will be increased to 25,000 cusecs in the Cauvery and 50,000 cusecs in the Kollidam,” said the engineer at Mukkombu barrage.