Coimbatore: The Coimbatore district administration has issued a flood warning in Mettupalayam as the Bhavani river in spate has crossed the water level danger mark on Sunday.
While Coimbatore and Nilgiris districts have witnessed heavy rains since Thursday, the precipitation has increased the storage level of Pillur reservoir.
Heavy rains in catchment areas such as Manjur and Upper Bhavani has increased the inflow of water into the dams.
Villages along the banks of the Bhavani river have been put on alert as the Pillur dam released 20,000 cusecs, causing floods in the river.
The water level has reached 98 feet against a total reservoir level of 100 feet on Sunday. Water inflow into the dam is 20,000 cusecs, official sources said.
According to the municipal officials involved in dam maintenance work, “as water level reached 98 feet, we will open four shutters of the dam to safeguard the structure; the Pillur dam fills mostly during the Northeast monsoon. But this year, the Southwest monsoon has filled the dam.”
The district administration and Mettupalayam taluk officials are monitoring the water level of the river along the main settlement areas including Thekkampatti, Sirumugai, Nellithurai and Mettupalayam.
They cautioned residents living near the banks about the flash flood. Revenue officials asked people not to venture near the Bhavani river.
