Heavy flow in Palar, alert issued to 15 villages

The officials have given the flood warning to the villagers of Nemilichery, Paalur, Villiyampakkam, Aathur, Dimbavaram, Manapakkam, Udayampakkam, Vallipuram, Edaiyathur Vayalur and few other villages in Cheyyur and Tirukazhunkundram.

While the rain had abated in Vellore town, inflows into rivers from surrounding areas, specially the hills, resulted in the Goundanyamahanadhi, Agaram, Naganadhi and Ponnai rivers running in spate on Friday after many years. The inflows recorded were 3,460 cft in Naganadhi, 3,320 cft in Goundanyamahanadhi, 4,000 cft in Agaram River and 7,040 cft in the Ponnai River on Thursday evening.

Officials revealed that Palar would carry a total flow of 17,820 cft. However, the situation turned serious when Kavalagunda dam in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district released 30,000 cusecs into the Ponnai River.

With the Ponnai already carrying 10,000 cusecs, the additional release from the AP dam put officials on tenterhooks as the Ponnai River which ultimately joins the Palar will have a total flow of 40,000 cusecs from the Ponnai stretch alone.

Similarly, officials issued warning to those residing in low lying areas in locations adjoining the Goundanyamahanadhi in Gudiyattam town as the river flows right through the middle of the town. Excess water from the Mordana dam which reached its FTL a couple of days ago was let into this river.

This necessitated setting up of four relief camps for the Goundanyamahanadhi river settlements in Gudiyattam where a total of 561 people were provided shelter.