The Cauvery Neeravari Nigama Ltd. (CNNL) has issued a flood alert and warned people living in the downstream of the Kabini reservoir at H.D. Kote (Mysuru district) to move to safer locations.
The alert, issued on Tuesday, said that the outflow from the reservoir would be stepped up to nearly 20,000 cusecs by evening as they anticipate an increase in the inflow during the next 24 hours. This is due to heavy rains in the upstream of the dam, and the catchment area of the Kabini, mainly in the Wayanad region of Kerala.
However, the reservoir is yet to attain its full level this year and the water level on Tuesday at 8.30 a.m. was 2,279.54 ft. against the full reservoir level (FRL) of 2,284 ft. The rate of inflow was 16,000 cusecs and senior engineers at the dam site said they would regulate the outflow to maintain safety levels.
It is customary to maintain a buffer of 2 ft. as a safety measure during the rainy season and open the crest gates before the dam attains its FRL. But the CNNL has decided not to wait till then and to open the crest gates as there could be a surge in the inflow given the heavy rains in the catchment area.
Last year the authorities were forced to open all the crest gates due to a sudden surge in the inflow and the discharge peaked to reach 1,20,000 cusecs (on August 10, 2019), which was the highest in the history of the dam constructed in the early 1970s. This resulted in flash floods in the downstream area.
Heavy to very heavy rains continued to pound Kodagu for the third consecutive day throwing normal life out of gear while augmenting the flow in the Cauvery and the Lakshmanthirtha.
The district received 106.12 mm of rainfall for the 24 hour period ending at 8.30 a.m. on Tuesday and the district administration has cautioned people in the low-lying areas to be cautious of rise in water levels.
Of the 104 gram panchayats in the district, 15 GPs have received rains in excess of 100 mm during the last 24 hours. Balamatta GP received 172 mm, the highest among the gram panchayats. Bhagamandala GP and surrounding areas, which is the catchment area of the Cauvery, received 170.5 mm of rainfall, the highest so far this monsoon.
There were reports of trees being uprooted and the traffic on the Virajpet-Madikeri highway was blocked for some time.
The Indian Meteorological Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rains across the district till August 7 and issued an orange alert consequent to which the district administration has raised vigil.
The incessant rains in Kodagu follows a long period of lull in July as a result of which the rainfall deficit stands at 36 per cent below normal for the monsoon period June 1 to August 4. Against a normal of 1492 mm, the district so far has received 959 mm, according to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC).
The Kodagu district administration issued a communique as per which the rainfall has been uniform and widespread in the region. Madikeri kasaba recorded 141.6 mm of rains, Napoklu received 131.1 mm, Sampaje (61.2), Bhagamandala (186.4), Srimangala (150.6), Shanthahalli (207.3), Kudlipet (135.8), Ponnampet (122.2) and Somwarpet kasaba received 91.4 mm of rainfall during the 24 hour period ending 8.30 a.m. on Tuesday.
In case of any emergency related to floods people may call 1077 or WhatsApp number 8550001077 for assistance. The authorities have said there were no reports of landslips.
Meanwhile the water level in the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoir in Mandya district was 105.74 ft. on Tuesday against the full reservoir level of 124.80 ft. and the inflow was 5056 cusecs.