With water levels nearing 100 feet at the Bhavanisagar Dam and the inflow continuing to be over 14,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs), a flood alert has been issued to people living on the banks of River Bhavani in Erode district on Friday.
Officials at the Water Resources Department said that at noon, the water level stood at 97.50 feet against the maximum reservoir level of 105 feet. Inflow was 14,938 cusecs while the discharge was 800 cusecs in Arakkankottai and Thadapalli canals and 100 cusecs in River Bhavani. The storage was 26.817 thousand million cubic feet (tmc) of water against the capacity of 32.800 tmc.
Officials said that the water level could reach 100 feet in 48 hours after which the entire inflow would be discharged into River Bhavani. “People living along the river and in low-lying areas should move to safer places and the Revenue and Police department were asked to take necessary steps”, an official said.
As per flood regulation norms, the quantum of water that could be stored in the dam every month is specified: 100 feet in June and July, 102 feet from August to October and 105 feet in November and December. “Since discharge from Pilloor Reservoir in Coimbatore district to River Bhavani was 12,000 cusecs and rains in catchment areas are continuing, the inflow continues to be over 14,000 cusecs throughout the day, ” the official said.