Chennai, Oct 19 (IANS) Authorities have issued a first-stage flood alert for residents living along the banks of the Vaigai River in Theni, Madurai, Dindigul, Sivaganga, and Ramanathapuram districts, following a sharp rise in the Vaigai dam’s water level after continuous heavy rain over the past few days.

According to official reports, the water level at the Vaigai dam touched 66 feet on Saturday evening, marking a five-foot increase within 24 hours.

The surge has been attributed to substantial inflows from the Vaigai, Suruli, and Kottakudi rivers, which have been in spate due to torrential rainfall across Theni district and surrounding hill regions.

Officials said the dam’s inflow shot up from 2,268 cusecs at 6 a.m. to nearly 24,000 cusecs by 11 a.m. on Sunday, a tenfold increase in just a few hours. This rapid inflow caused the water level to rise sharply, prompting immediate precautionary measures downstream.

The Public Works Department (PWD) and district administrations have begun alerting residents in low-lying areas and riverbanks to stay vigilant and prepare for possible evacuations if water is released.

Authorities clarified that the second-stage flood alert will be sounded when the water level reaches 68.5 feet, followed by a final alert at 69 feet, the point at which excess water will be discharged into the Vaigai River to prevent overflow.

While the situation has triggered concern among people living downstream, the development has brought relief to farmers in the five beneficiary districts.

With the dam expected to reach full capacity early in the northeast monsoon season, agricultural operations – especially the samba paddy crop – are expected to benefit from an assured water supply for irrigation.

However, officials cautioned that if rain continues at the current intensity, sudden and large releases of water from the dam might become necessary, potentially causing temporary flooding in riverbank settlements.

Disaster response teams and local administrations are on standby to manage any emergency arising from a further rise in the dam’s water level.

–IANS

aal/svn