THOOTHUKUDI: Though none of the tanks in Thoothukudi district overflowed in the recent rain, over 53 system irrigation tanks of the Thamirabarani River have reached 95% of its full capacity, said Collector K Elambahavath on Monday.
Addressing the media, the collector said that except a few areas in the corporation, stagnant water was pumped into the Buckle Canal, which drained into the sea.
The stagnation at residential areas in Wards 16, 17 and 18 situated below the mean sea level are being drained, leaving the ground water table saturated. "Due to high and low tides, water discharge into the sea through Buckle Canal has impeded," he said.
The Korampallam Tank maintained a safe level of 1.85 to 1.9 meters of its total depth of 2.5 meters. As the discharge was about 19,000 cusecs, it prevented the corporation from flooding. As water inflow due to rain reduced, water is being stored to a level of 1.21 metres for agriculture purposes, he added.
As rain declined, the inflow to Thamirabarani has also gradually reduced. "The river witnessed an inflow of 50,648 cusecs at Maruthur Anaicut, and 10,378 cusecs at Srivaikuntam," he said.
Except on the old low-level bridge across the Thamirabarani in Eral, which washed away in the flood, traffic pn all other road stretches have resumed now. "The restoration work began on the old bridge at Etal, and will be open to the public soon," Elambahavath said.
Over 225 houses, including 212 huts, were partially damaged and five were completely damaged. Besides 10,000 hens and chickens of a poultry farm were also killed.
Though 8 cm of rain poured down in three hours, the collector said that none of the waterbodies breached due to the flood, except the Periya Piratti Tank at its surplus channel.
Many tanks overflowed into the drain channel. He added that more than 200 tanks have reached 95% of its capacity, while 100 tanks have reached full capacity.
The 53 system irrigation tanks of Thamirabarani are 95% full, while 180 non-system irrigation tanks are at the half way mark. Regarding restoration of the newly built bridges at Eral and Authoor damaged in the 2023 flood, the collector said that reconstruction works have been tendered for the Eral bridge, and while the dent on the Authoor bridge is being studied by a panel from IIT Madras.