The Mettur dam is expected to attain its capacity in the wee hours of Tuesday if the present inflow of 1.05 lakh cusecs continues.
Consequently, the Water Resources Department (WRD) at Mettur dam issued a flood warning message to 12 District Collectors in the delta region on Monday.
The WRD said the Mettur dam water reached a depth of 117 feet on Monday. In anticipation of heavy inflow due to heavy rainfall, the water level of the dam might reach 120 feet within one or two days and the surplus water might be released from the dam through the Cauvery river at any moment. All the people living on the banks of the Cauvery and low-lying areas have been asked to move to safer places. The WRD has, therefore, asked the Collectors to take precautionary measures to ensure safety and security of people’s lives and their properties.
On Monday, at 4 a.m., inflow into the dam increased to 1.54 lakh cusecs from Sunday’s inflow of 1.51 lakh cusecs. At 8 a.m., inflow was reduced to 1.53 lakh cusecs; at 12 p.m., inflow further reduced to 1.21 lakh cusecs; and at 4 p.m., inflow further reduced to 1.05 lakh cusecs. The dam’s water level stood at 118.20 feet, against its capacity of 120 feet. The storage level stood at 90.34 TMC against its capacity of 93.47 TMC.
Considering the inflow, the amount of water discharged from the dam into the River Cauvery increased to 20,000 cusecs from 12,000 cusecs.
In the past 24 hours (till Monday at 4 p.m.), the dam’s water level increased by eight feet and the storage level increased by 11 TMC.
Published - July 29, 2024 07:52 pm IST
