Flood Alert Issued for 11 Districts in Tamil Nadu

Quick Summary

• A flood warning has been issued to 11 districts in Tamil Nadu following an increase in water discharge from Karnataka’s Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) dam and Kabini dam into the Mettur dam.
• the water discharge into Mettur dam has increased to 95,000 cusecs, with the dam nearing its full capacity of 120 feet.
• Surplus water of 50,000-70,000 cusecs is likely to be released gradually from the Mettur dam into the Cauvery River.
• Residents along the Cauvery River and low-lying areas across Salem, erode, Namakkal, Karur, Ariyalur, Tiruchi, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, and Cuddalore districts have been advised to move to safer locations and take precautions.
• On August 18th:

– The Mettur dam’s water level stood at 117.56 feet (full capacity: 120 feet).
– Storage levels where at 89.63 TMC out of a total capacity of 93.47 TMC.
– Inflow into the reservoir rose from Sunday’s figure of 6,223 cusecs to over 7,435 cusecs on Monday.
– Discharge for delta irrigation was increased from Sunday’s level of 22,000 cusecs to approximately 35,000 cusecs; canal irrigation output remained steady at around 500 cusecs.

• Officials are monitoring inflow rates closely and will release additional surplus if needed.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The increase in discharge through Karnataka’s dams underscores how rainfall patterns upstream of river basins directly impact downstream states like Tamil Nadu-highlighting interdependence within river-sharing frameworks such as those governing the Cauvery basin waters.

For Tamil Nadu residents living near affected regions or lowlands adjoining key riverside zones – responsiveness execution preparedness remains priority safeguards