Recent floods in Tamil Nadu, occurring on December 17 and 18, have left a trail of destruction, with data from the disaster management department revealing significant damage. Over 7,417 houses have been reported as damaged, 1.07 lakh cattle have perished, and a staggering 2.24 lakh acres of crops, primarily banana and millet, have been devastated. The coastal district experienced heavy rainfall, with an average of 351.79 mm and localized peaks, causing annual rainfall in Thoothukudi district for 2023 to rise to 1,009.3 mm as of December 28, marking the second-highest since 1990.
The intense rainfall resulted in surplus dam water being discharged into the Thamirabarani river, leading to flooding in the plains of the river valley. PWD officials reported the release of 40,000 cusecs into the Thamirabarani river from dams in Tirunelveli on December 18 and 19. The last anaicut of Srivaikuntam in Thamirabarani received a substantial 1.65 lakh cusecs of floodwater over two days. Despite the significant impact of the floods, some officials attribute the reduced damage to life and property along the river course to the dams not receiving as much rain, thus lowering discharge.
Reflecting on the situation, Mariappan, executive engineer of the Thamirabarani division, highlighted that the 2023 floods could have resulted in even more severe consequences if the dams had received additional rain. Comparing it to the floods in 1992, a retired PWD official, Vinoth, noted that the Thamirabarani river previously carried floodwater to the extent of 1.25 lakh cusecs in 1992.
Post Your Comments