Bhavani in spate, dam levels up in TN
COIMBATORE: With southwest monsoon rains intensifying, the water level in the Siruvani dam in Kerala is rising steadily. As a result, water released to Tamil Nadu has also increased. According to TWAD board official, the level in the dam as on Tuesday was 20.93 ft against its capacity of 50 ft.
Last Tuesday (July 18) the level was 11.64 ft. Sources said the water catchment areas of the dam received 75 mm of rainfall, the foothills received 46 mm of rainfall. IMD has forecast more rain in the next few days.
CCMC Commissioner M Prathap said the civic body has increased the volume of water supplied to the city to 76 MLD from 30 MLD as storage in Siruvani reservoir has crossed 20 feet. The frequency of supply has reduced to once in 14 days to seven days, he added.
Pillur dam brimming
Following incessant rain in catchment in Nilgiris district, the Pillur dam is receiving inflow of 14,000 cusecs of water, as a result of which storage has increased to 93.5 feet from 86.5 feet in 24 hours. As the dam can hold water up to a maximum of 97.5 feet, PWD has started discharging 14,000 cusecs of water in the river Bhavani.
The Coimbatore district administration has issued flood alert and cautioned people living on the banks.
The discharge from Pillur pushed up water level in Bhavani Sagar dam to 80 feet on Tuesday morning.
Water Resources Department officials said the dam received inflow of 7607 cusecs on Tuesday. The water level stood at 80.56 feet against the dam’s capacity of 105 feet. On Monday, the water level was 79.54 feet.” On Tuesday, 1105 cusecs of water was released from the dam for irrigation and drinking water needs.
Nilgiris
Rain continued to lash Nilgiris district on Tuesday. In the 24 hours ending 8am on Tuesday, Avalanche recorded the maximum rain of 38 cm rainfall, followed by Upper Bhavani - 10.5cm, Devala - 9.3 cm, Cherangode - 9.1 cm, Panthalur - 7 cm, O Valley - 6.8 cm. Traffic was affected on O Valley road on Monday night after a tree fell near Keviparai.
In Kothagiri, two workers got struck in a landslide mud when they were working for construction on Tuesday. They were rescued immediately.
Inflow to Mettur from Karnataka has not increased
Salem: Even as heavy rain lashed Karnataka, there was no significant rise in the storage in Mettur reservoir in Salem district. As on Tuesday morning, dam inflow was 119 cusecs and water level in the dam stood at 66.86 feet against the capacity of 120 feet. A total of 10,000 cusecs of water is released from the dam for irrigation in the Cauvery delta. WRD officials said water released from dams in Karnataka will reach Mettur on Tuesday night. “Water released from Kabini and Krishna Raja Sagar dams reached Biligundlu on Tuesday evening. From there it takes six hours for the water to reach Mettur dam. The water inflow for the dam can be specified only after that.”