Vaigai dam level crosses 66 feet mark

PWD issues first flood warning

There were gusty winds in Pamban on Tuesday night in the impact of Yaas cyclonic storm in Bay of Bengal.

While the south-west monsoon is expected to set in another four days, the storage level in the Vaigai dam has crossed 66 feet on Wednesday.

Since the permissible level of the reservoir is 71 feet, the PWD has issued the first flood warning. With copious rainfall experienced along the western ghats over the past month, the dam had been getting inflow from the Mullaperiyar reservoir. Farmers in five districts - Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram - are happy about the steady rise in the Vaigai dam as they depended on the water for irrigation.

The farmers have appealed to the government to release water by June 4. “If we get an assurance to this effect, we can start preliminary work,” Arulprakasam, a farmer in Melur in Madurai district, said.

The PWD officials, however, said that they have recommended for release and it was for the government to take the final decision on the date of water release from the Vaigai dam.

The officials also said that they have given adequate caution to the people residing close to the riverbed as the discharge may be heavy in the next two to three days.

Heavy wind

In Ramanathapuram district, Pamban and Rameswaram witnessed heavy winds since late Tuesday night.

According to the fishermen, boats, which were anchored, had been damaged due to the strong wind. According to the officials at the Area Cyclone Warning Centre, warning signal number II had been hoisted at Pamban and Thoothukudi ports.

The other ports in southern districts of Tamil Nadu, including Rameswaram and Colachel, witnessed strong winds and in some parts there was rainfall too.