The PWD authorities have issued the first flood warning for the second time this year after the storage level in the Vaigai dam crossed 66 feet (max level 71 ft) here on Thursday.
The inflow was 1,564 cusecs and the discharge was 769 cusecs from the reservoir.
Following widespread rain in the Western Ghats since December 2020, the inflow into Mullaperiyar reservoir increased. As a result, the dam has witnessed steady rise despite discharge of water for irrigation and drinking purposes.
With the the south-west monsoon having set in, catchment areas of Vaigai dam too experienced continuous rain during May. The government released water from the Vaigai dam for irrigation purposes on June 1 after nearly 14 years, it may be noted. The authorities also released water for drinking purposes for Ramanathapuram district and the water reached the Big Tank.
After fulfilling the mandatory issuance of water for ayacut farmers in the double crop region to enable them carry out their first crop, the Vaigai dam continued to get water. In May, a steep rise in water level led to issue of a flood warning.
On Thursday, the PWD engineers said that as water level crossed the 66 feet mark at 1.30 p.m, they have issued the first flood warning. The second warning would be issued when the storage level crosses 68.50 feet and the third and final warning would come in when the level crossed 69 feet mark.
The farmers have welcomed the rainfall in the catchment areas and said that farm activities were going on in full swing in the entire region and they hoped to have a bumper harvest this season.