Hyderabad: A flood alert has been issued for areas downstream of the Tungabhadra Dam after one of its 33 gates was washed away late on Saturday night due to heavy floods. The incident has put the disaster management authorities on high alert, especially for residents along the banks of the Krishna River in Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.
The 19th gate, which had undergone maintenance in May, snapped while the dam was discharging an increased flow of water. Currently, around one lakh cusecs of water are being released from the dam, which holds 105 TMC of water.
In response to the incident, all 33 gates of the dam were opened, releasing one lakh cusecs of floodwater. The discharge rate is expected to double soon to facilitate the replacement of the broken gate. This is the first significant crest gate failure in the dam’s 70-year history, attributed to a worn-out chain link.
Authorities have urged residents in riverbank towns and villages, particularly in Mantralayam, Kosigi, and Kouthalam, to remain cautious and avoid streams and canals. With inflows and outflows around 31,000 cusecs at the time of the incident, dam officials plan to discharge up to two lakh cusecs in the coming days to lower the reservoir by about 50 TMC.
The Tungabhadra Dam, an inter-state project managed by the Tungabhadra Board, plays a crucial role in regulating water supplies to Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana. Official teams from Hyderabad and Amaravathi are heading to the site.
The released water will contribute to the inflows into Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar, and Pulichintala projects downstream. The Tungabhadra Dam, a joint project between the erstwhile Kingdom of Hyderabad and the Madras Presidency, was completed in 1953.
