Significantly, the inflow from Karnataka reservoirs like Krishnarajasagar and Kabini had fallen to 80,751 cusecs on Wednesday from between two lakh cusecs to 1.6 lakh cucescs a few days ago. “Only about 65,000 cusecs was being released from Mettur dam on Wednesday,” a top official told reporters.

With flood waters receding in villages off the banks of the Cauvery and Bhavani, people have started going back to their homes from most of the 119 relief centres which sheltered 13,569 people as on August 18, the official said.

The relief centres were set up in districts, including Tiruchirappalli, Karur, and Kanyakumari. Water level receded in downstream areas of Mettur dam like Edappadi and Thavittupalayam, inundated following heavy inflows from Karnataka dams, which was let out from Mettur reservoir.

A Coimbatore report, quoting officials, said that the Mettur dam crossed the full level of 120 feet for the third time in the last 30 days. The level stood at 120.25 feet. The inflow on Wednesday late evening further dropped to 45,000 cusecs, they said, adding the discharge was hence scaled down to 40,800 cusecs. 

The discharge from Kabini and KRS reservoir has come down since Tuesday night following scanty rains in catchment areas in Karnataka, they said. The water level in Mettur dam reached its maximum of 120 feet on August 11 for a second time since July 23. A flood alert had been sounded days ago for 13 districts, including the Cauvery delta regions, besides Madurai and Theni as the Periyar and Vaigai dams too received copious inflows. Also, water level in submerged standing crops has begun receding in areas around River Coleroon, a branch of Cauvery in Cauvery delta regions.

The situation in Bhavani, Komarapalayam, and Pallipalayam falling under Erode and Namakkal districts that bore the burnt of heavy discharge too is limping back to normalcy with a cut in discharge from Mettur.

On August 19, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami had inspected the deluge hit areas and assured compensation for crop loss due to the floods and permanent houses for the affected people.