Tamil Nadu: Water released from the Sathanur -Dam, Flood Alert

Chennai, October 12 (IANS). The water flow in Sathanur reservoir, located near Thandarampattu in the Tiruvannamalai district, one of the largest dams in Tamil Nadu, increased sharply after ten days of continuous rain. As a result, the authorities released excess water and issued a flood warning for the surrounding areas. The 119 feet of high Sathanur Dam has a storage capacity of 7.321 million cubic feet (MCFT). The reservoir offers irrigation water to about 50,000 hectares of agricultural land spread across the districts of Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Vellore, Kallakurichi and Cuddalore through its extensive network of left and right bank channels. It also offers drinking water to Tiruvannamalai Corporation and several towns in the area under a joint water supply scheme. In addition, a hydroelectric generation project that uses excess water from the dam is currently underway. Due to recent heavy rains, the water flow in the reservoir has increased to about 6,000 cubic feet per second (Cuseecs). To ensure structural safety, engineers lowered the water level to 111.80 feet and opened 12 lock gates, released about 9,000 Cuseecs water in the Thenpennai River. The release of water caused the river to swell, resulting in flooding in low -lying areas. KomanthanMedu and Chitheri Anicut bridges were plunged into water, which disrupted vehicle movement between large towns. Local administration officials warned residents living along the river banks not to enter the water or try to cross underwater bridges. Officials from the Department of Water Resources and the District Administration monitor the inflow and outflow of water from the reservoir throughout the day. –Is SCH/ABM Share this story Tags