Water level in the major reservoirs of Kanyakumari district — Perunchani and Pechiparai dams — increased by over 20 feet in the last two weeks and that of Chittar I and Chittar II reached full level on Saturday morning due to incessant rainfall in catchment areas.
Water level in Perunchani dam increased to 39.80 feet from 16.5 feet and to 71 feet from 58 feet in Pechiparai dam over a fortnight, said S.K. Subramani, Executive Engineer, Water Resources Organisation, PWD.
As the unseasonal rain continues in the catchment areas, flood warning was issued to over 12 villages on the banks of the Thamiraparani in Vilavancode and Paraliar, a tributary of Thamiraparani, in Kalkulam taluk in Kanyakumari district on Friday evening. As a precautionary measure, people living on the banks of the two rivers in Kalyal, Atrur, Kuzhithurai, Erayumanthurai and Thengaipattinam and a few other villages were asked to move to safer places by the revenue officials. Chittar I and Chittar II dams had water to their full capacity of 18 feet and the surplus of 129 cusecs was released into the Paraliar, Mr. Subramani said.
The level in Perunchani dam stood at 71.73 feet, against its full level of 77 feet, and the inflow into the dam was 377 cusecs. Pechiparai dam had water at 39.80 feet (full level 48 feet), with an inflow of 510 cusecs. In Mambazhathuraiaru dam, water touched its full level of 54.12 feet.
Meanwhile, drizzles continued in Mayiladi, Kottaram, Surulode, Balamore and Mullanginavilai from Friday night. PWD officials are monitoring the situation and taking precautionary measures to prevent flooding of low-lying areas, if the rain continues in the catchment areas.
