Chennai, Oct 15 The Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department (WRD) will release about 700 cubic feet per second (cusecs) of water from the Poondi reservoir and 200 cusecs from the Red Hills reservoir on Wednesday to manage rising inflow caused by heavy rainfall across the state.
According to WRD officials, the water from Poondi will be let into the Kosasthalaiyar River and will reach the Tamaraipakkam anicut, from where it will be diverted to the Cholavaram tank for storage.
The decision follows a surge in inflow of 2,260 cusecs from catchment areas, the Kesavaram anicut, Illupur check dam, and the Kandaleru–Poondi canal.
As per the WRD’s compendium of rules, the water level in Poondi reservoir should be maintained at 33 feet during October. However, the level now stands at 34.30 feet. The release of excess water is a precautionary measure to prevent overflow and to store surplus in the Cholavaram tank.
Officials said the Red Hills reservoir, one of the key drinking water sources for Chennai, is also filling up rapidly. The department will release water from it depending on the day’s inflow and rainfall intensity.
Meanwhile, the Tiruvallur district administration has issued a flood warning to low-lying areas, including Vadakarai, Naravarikuppam, Sadayankuppam, and Kosapur, located along the surplus course of the reservoirs.
Widespread rainfall lashed several parts of Tamil Nadu in the early hours of Wednesday under the influence of a weather system over the Bay of Bengal.
Chennai experienced intense showers as strengthening easterly winds signalled the approach of the Northeast monsoon.
The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) said that the simultaneous withdrawal of the Southwest monsoon and the onset of the Northeast monsoon were likely by Thursday (October 16). A further update on the monsoon’s onset is expected soon.
In the 24 hours ending at 8.30 a.m. Wednesday, Ennore in Chennai recorded 14 cm of rainfall, while Kathivakkam received 10 cm, and Manali New Town and Kodanad (Nilgiris) recorded 9 cm each.
Wimco Nagar in Chennai received 8 cm, and Sembanarkoil in Mayiladuthurai recorded 7 cm. Light to moderate showers were also reported from Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Vellore, Kallakurichi, Villupuram, Tirunelveli, Pudukottai, Cuddalore, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, Nagapattinam, Ranipet, and Tiruvallur.
The wet spell is attributed to an upper air cyclonic circulation over the southwest Bay of Bengal, moving towards the Comorin area.
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