Tungabhadra dam gate washes away in Karnataka, posing flood risk to three states

A flood alert has been issued downstream of the Pampa Sagar Dam following the failure of its 19th gate, leading to a significant water release.

Published on: Aug 12, 2024, 15:45:02 IST

By Yamini C S

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

On Saturday night, the crest gate of the Tungabhadra Dam in Karnataka was washed away due to a broken chain link, creating significant flood risks for Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. Officials reported that gate number 19 was lost to the force of the floodwaters and warned of potential further damage to the dam.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced that two contractor firms have been engaged to repair the damaged gate. (PTI)

A flood warning has been issued downstream of the Pampa Sagar Dam on the Tungabhadra River in Koppal following the failure of the 19th crust gate, which has caused a substantial release of water, news agency PTI reported.

READ | Bengaluru rain: Man stuck in traffic for 3 hours amid severe waterlogging, cops get down to business, clear roads

Officials from the water resources department have indicated that to facilitate repairs, the reservoir’s water level must be reduced from its current capacity of 105 TMC to between 65 and 55 TMC. To address the issue urgently, the department has opened all but five of the crust gates, with a current discharge rate of 89,000 cusecs.

On Sunday, Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced that two contractor firms have been contacted to repair the damaged gate. After visiting the site, Shivakumar expressed concerns about potential additional damage to the dam following the loss of the 19th gate.

READ | Karnataka Minister seeks industry leaders' support in Wayanad landslide relief efforts

He also noted that Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana are collaborating on the situation. Residents within a two-kilometre radius of the river have been advised to stay alert and avoid approaching the water.

"We have informed two experienced contractors about it and provided them designs. Their team too visited this place in the night. They are also trying to restore the gate of the dam," the DCM said, as quoted by the agency.

READ | Bengaluru roads waterlogged after thunderstorms hit city, commuters irked on Monday morning

"There is an emergency situation, we will not allow anyone to visit here. There is a technical aspect and this dam is a national property. We will work to protect this dam. Sometimes these accidents happen. Our first work is to solve this problem," he added.

(With inputs from PTI)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crickit, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Infographics & much more. Explore now!

Stay updated Bengaluru Weather Live and with all the Breaking News and Latest News from Bengaluru. Click here for comprehensive coverage of top cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and more across India . Stay informed on the latest happenings in World News.