Water-level at the Krishnaraja Sagar is nearing the full-reservoir level (FRL) and Deputy Commissioner B.N. Krishnaih issued a flood alert cautioning people along the downstream to move to safer places.
Water-level at the reservoir was 124.52 ft. at 6.30 p.m. on Wednesday against the FRL of 124.80 ft.
While the flow was at the rate of 23,132 cubic feet per second (cusecs), the outflow was 33,298 cusecs by 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday, an official at the Engineering Regulation Section (Gauging), told The Hindu .
Water-level increased by 33.37 ft this month following copious rain in the catchment areas of the Cauvery in Kodagu and Mandya districts.
It was 91.15 ft at 6.30 p.m. on June 30.
Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner convened a meeting of officials from various departments. Mr. Krishnaiah instructed officials to take steps to prevent people from swimming and bathing at Balmuri water falls, near Nimishambha temple, at Paschima Vahini, Sangam, near Ranganathittu bird sanctuary and at Gaganachukki water falls in the wake of the possibility of surplus water being released from the dam. Washing clothes, utensils and cattle in the Cauvery is also banned.
Vijaykumar, Executive Engineer of Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd., said that steps had been taken to alert people in low-lying areas.
Several villages were inundated in 1961 when water was released at the rate of 2.13 lakh cusecs from the dam.
