Coimbatore: Flood alert along Bhavani river banks

Coimbatore: The Coimbatore district administration on Monday issued a flood alert to the people living along the banks of Bhavani River in Mettupalayam as the water level of Pillur reservoir reached its maximum capacity.

With the water level crossing 97-ft against its full level of 100-ft on Monday, the PWD officials held discussion with the district collector, K. Rajamani, who in turn issued a flood alert to the people. He advised the people to move to safer locations and not to cross the Bhavani River.

Only a few millimeters of rainfall were recorded in recently in the  region, said the official, attributing the increase in water level to heavy rainfall in catchment areas, including Upper Bhavani and Avalanche.

The water level in Kunda dam in the Nilgiris has reached the maximum capacity and 10,000 cusecs of water was being released to the Pillur reservoir.

As the water level has crossed over 94-ft around 11 am, 6,000 cusecs of water was initially released through two sluice gates from the reservoir. As the inflow level increased to 13,000 cusecs around 12.30 pm and crossed over 97-ft, immediately four sluice gates from the reservoir was opened and 18,000 cusecs of water is being let out, the official added. “Usually, the water will be released during early July. This year we have released water almost a month later due to the delay in the monsoon,” the official added.