Over 13,000 people residing along the banks of the Cauvery in Tamil Nadu were evacuated from their homes in view of 2.45 lakh cusecs of water being released from Mettur dam on Saturday.
The evacuees, drawn from over five districts, have been accommodated in 117 temporary camps.
There has been no respite in outflow of water from the Cauvery, with rainfall continuing unabated in Kodagu region of Karnataka – where the river originates. Breaches have occurred in various parts of Salem, Erode, Namakkal and Karur districts due to this outflow.
As many as 1,000 houses built along the banks of the Bhavani river, a tributary of the Cauvery river, were inundated. Apart from this, around eight villages in Cuddalore district faced flooding due to the Kollidam river overflowing.
Three lakh cusecs of water may be further released from the dam on Saturday night owing to heavy rainfall in the western region. Consequently, the state government has urged those living on the banks of the Cauvery to vacate their houses.
Revenue minister RB Udhayakumar said disaster response force personnel have been placed on alert from Kodiyampalam in Cuddalore district to Poompuhar in Nagapattinam district, where the river joins the sea.
{{/usCountry}}Revenue minister RB Udhayakumar said disaster response force personnel have been placed on alert from Kodiyampalam in Cuddalore district to Poompuhar in Nagapattinam district, where the river joins the sea.
{{/usCountry}}“Around 13,952 people have been evacuated from their houses in Salem, Erode, Namakkal, Karur and Trichy districts. About 117 well-equipped camps have been kept ready to accommodate these people,” Udhayakumar told mediapersons on Saturday.
The minister said that police and government officials have been monitoring 200 sensitive spots on a round-the-clock basis. Education minister KA Sengottaiyan, electricity minister P Thangamani and local administration minister SP Velumani also visited flood-affected areas.
Local administration minister SP Velumani said the government will help rebuild 500 houses that were damaged across Namakkal and Erode districts. Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami will visit flood-affected areas in the state’s northwest region on Sunday.
On a related note, the Tamil Nadu government has announced another Rs 5 crore for Kerala towards flood relief aid. “We had already extended Rs 5 crore to Kerala. Now, after observing the extent of havoc wreaked in the neighbouring state, the government will contribute another Rs 5 crore. Also, we have sent relief materials – including rice, milk powder, milk and clothes – worth around Rs 2 crore,” said Velumani.