The Tiruvallur district administration on Sunday decided to release water from Poondi reservoir, leading to flood alert in northern parts of the city.
In a tweet on Sunday, Tiruvallur Collector Alby John Varghese said: “1,000 cusecs of water to be released from Poondi reservoir from 2 p.m. today. This is being done as a precautionary measure and the people living in low-lying areas on the banks of the Kosasthalaiyar river are requested to be on alert.”
Dr. Varghese told The Hindu that the water was released because of rains in Andhra Pradesh and good inflow from Nagari river into Poondi reservoir which was already full.
Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi said the carrying capacity of the Kosasthalaiyar river was 70,000 cusecs and only 1,000 cusecs was released on Sunday. However, officials of the Revenue Department and the Corporation alerted the residents in areas such as Tiruvottiyur, Manali and Madhavaram zones. An alert was also sounded in areas such as Nambakkam, Krishnapuram, Atrambakkam, Othappai, Neyveli, Eraiyur, Bheemanthoppu, Korrakkathandalam, Somadevanpattu, Meiyur, Velliyur, Thamaraipakkam, Thirukandalam, Athur, Pandikavanur, Jaganathapuram, Puthukuppam, Kannipalayam, Vannipakkam, Asuvanpalayam, Madiyur, Seemavaram, Vellivayalchavadi, Nappalayam, Idayanchavadi, Manali, Manali New Town, Sadayankuppam and Ennore.
On Sunday, the water level in the reservoir reached 33.95 feet as against the maximum level of 35 feet. The reservoir covers an area of 34.58 sq km. Water was released as the water level was expected to cross 34 feet soon.
