Residents near the Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are on high alert after the Tungabhadra Dam’s 19th crest gate washed away. The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) has warned people to remain vigilant after the gate’s chain link broke due to intense floodwaters.
Initially, 35,000 cusecs of water flowed through the damaged gate, and now a total of 89,000 cusecs is being released downstream. Residents in Kurnool district’s Kosigi, Mantralayam, Nandavaram, and Kouthalam are advised to exercise caution. The APSDMA advises people living in the Krishna River’s riparian plains to avoid crossing canals and streams due to strong currents.
To manage the situation, the Karnataka Water Resource Department has opened all but five crest gates to facilitate urgent repairs. Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi, in charge of Koppal district, mentioned the need to release 60 to 65 TMC of water to resolve the issue, emphasizing the urgency to lower the water level by 20 feet.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, responsible for the water resource portfolio, has rushed to Koppal to assess the situation. Repairing the dam is expected to take four days, as reported by Times of India.
On Saturday, 1 lakh cusecs of water were released into the river from 22 crest gates following the gate failure. However, Tungabhadra Board Secretary ORK Reddy reassured the public that the dam could handle up to 6.5 lakh cusecs of water, minimizing immediate concerns.