Gate number 19 of the Tungabhadra dam in Karnataka’s Hospet was washed away late on Saturday, August 10, leading to a sudden outflow of around 35,000 cusecs of water. The governments in both Karnataka and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh are on high alert. No casualties have been reported so far.
According to The Hindu, the Tungabhadra River Board has issued a warning to people living near the river basin. As the water is gushing to the downstream Sunkesula project in Andhra’s Kurnool, an advisory has also been issued to residents of Kurnool city as well as those residing in Kosigi, Mantralayam, Kauthalam, and Nandavaram mandals of Kurnool district to remain vigilant. Further, citizens have also been asked not to cross the riverbed or any canals connected to the river.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who also holds the Water Resources portfolio, rushed to the spot after the incident. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has sent teams from the Central Design Commission and Engineering Division to the dam.
The sudden outflow of water happened after a chain link on Gate 19 snapped. The dam authorities immediately issued an alert asking people not to venture into the river downstream as the outflow might increase up to 2 lakh cusecs at any time.
According to AP’s Minister for Water Resources Nimmala Ramanaidu, the authorities at Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar, and Pulichintala projects – on Krishna river – have also been directed to remain alert.
IANS reported that CM Naidu has asked state Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav to speak to Tungabhadra dam officials about installing a temporary gate. The officials reportedly told the minister that there are difficulties at present in making temporary lock arrangements.
Dam authorities had reduced discharge of water on Saturday as the rains receded in the catchment area. The discharge was reduced by around 28,000 cusecs to maintain the Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 1,633 feet with a total storage of 105.788 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft).
After the chain link on Gate 19 broke, 33 gates have been opened to reduce pressure on the broken gate. The discharge increased to one lakh cusecs on Sunday morning, August 11.
Officials said that the discharge was increased to reduce the water level in the reservoir so that the repair work to fix the broken chain link could be taken up.
(With IANS inputs)