Kabini dam: Fresh flood alert issued as rains intensify in Kerala

Inflow into the Kabini dam in Mysuru district has gone up yet again as incessant rains lashed its catchment areas in Kerala. The dam authorities have once again issued a flood warning urging people living in the downstream stretches of the Kapila to remain alert following increase in the discharge of water from the dam.

The outflow from the dam was 7,000 cusecs on Friday morning while the inflow was 11,217 cusecs. As the inflow into the dam went up, owing to a fresh spell of rains in Wayanad and nearby areas in the neighbouring State, about 10,000 to 15,000 cusecs of water were being discharged into the river, prompting the issue of a renewed flood warning.

Executive Engineer of the Kabini Reservoir Division, H.D. Kote, in a flood warning note on Friday, said there is a possibility of further increase in the outflow from the dam considering the dam’s safety, following significant increase in the inflow into the dam. Therefore, people on the banks of the Kapila have been cautioned to shift to safer places and safeguard their properties and livestock as the river levels will rise.

D.B. Kuppe in H.D. Kote taluk recorded the day’s highest rain of 11.5 mm in Mysuru district.

Meanwhile, fresh spell of rain in Kodagu increased inflow into the Harangi dam near Kushalnagar. The inflow was 8,940 cusecs while the outflow to the Cauvery was 8,000 cusecs. The reservoir level stood at 2,858.14 ft. as against the maximum of 2,859 ft. on Friday.

After a brief lull, rainfall activity in Kodagu has picked up, with the district recording 24.36 mm rain in the last 24 hours ending at 8.30 a.m. on Friday. On this day last year, Kodagu recorded just 1.46 mm rain. Bhagamandala recorded 43.20 mm rain, while the highest rain was recorded at Sampaje which was 72.50 mm.

As rainfall had earlier receded in Kodagu, the inflow into the Krishnaraja Sagar had dropped. The inflow on Friday was 7,477 cusecs and the reservoir level stood at 106.37 ft. on Friday.