Mettur: Water release further up to 25,000 cusecs, Flood alert for 12 districts

SALEM: Amid another record inflow of 73,000 cusecs into Mettur reservoir on Friday evening, PWD authorities have further stepped up the water discharge from 18,000 cusecs to 25,000 cusecs for Cauvery delta irrigation.

The enhanced quantum of water release from the dam was effected from 5-30 pm, even as the water level in the Stanley reservoir stood at 118.11-feet against its full level of 120-feet.

Consequently, people living in low-lying areas and along the banks of Cauvery including farmers have been advised to move to safer places along with their cattle and other belongings immediately. In fact a flood-alert has been sounded for 12 Cauvery delta districts as the volume of water could get out of control.

Even as the authorities including the Salem district administration are monitoring the situation 24x7 and the NDRF alerted, the districts for which flood-alert has been issued Salem, Namakkal, Erode, Coimbatore, Karur and Tiruchirappalli, sources said. The Salem collector, Mr. S.A. Raman has warned inland fishermen against fishing in the Cauvery or its tributaries and also warned the youth against taking a swim in the river or taking selfies near the river bank as the water current is strong. The storage level in the dam now is 90.487 tmcft.