CHENNAI: With continuous heavy rain lashing the Western Ghats under the influence of the Northeast Monsoon, the water level at the Vaigai Dam in Tamil Nadu's Theni district has risen sharply to 69 feet, prompting the Public Works Department (PWD) to issue a third-level flood alert.
Officials said the dam has been receiving copious inflows from catchment areas over the past three days as steady rainfall continues in the Varushanad hills. To manage the rising inflow, surplus water is being released from the dam through regulated sluices.
Residents living along the Vaigai River banks and in low-lying regions have been advised to remain vigilant and move to safer locations if necessary. According to PWD engineers, the dam’s full reservoir level is 71 feet, and the current inflow is increasing steadily due to heavy rainfall in the upper catchment.