TNSDMA, WRD issue alert along the banks of the Cauvery

Following heavy discharge of water from the Mettur dam on Sunday, the Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority (TNSDMA) and the Water Resources Department (WRD) have issued flood warnings along the banks of the Cauvery.

In its official flood warning message, the WRD has alerted district administrations in Salem, Erode, Namakkal, Karur, Ariyalur, Tiruchi, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, and Cuddalore to take precautionary measures and ensure residents along riverbanks and in low-lying areas are moved to safety.

Teams from the Tamil Nadu Disaster Response Force and the National Disaster Response Force, comprising 25 and 30 personnel respectively, have arrived in Tiruchi and are on standby for emergency response.

Simultaneously, the TNSDMA has begun sending geo-targeted SMS alerts to mobile phones of people residing near vulnerable locations along the river. Officials confirmed that such alerts will continue on a daily basis, based on real-time location data, to warn the public of rising water levels and advise them to stay away from the river.

In Tiruchi, disaster management authorities have stepped up preparations. According to officials, washermen and other riverside residents have been directly warned. Autorickshaws fitted with loudspeakers have been deployed to issue alerts in low-lying villages, and relief centres have been kept ready to accommodate displaced families if required.

Thanjavur District Collector P. Priyanka Pankajam has appealed to the public to remain cautious and cooperate with authorities. People have been advised not to bathe, swim, fish, or engage in any recreational activity in the river. Entering the river at night and taking selfies in dangerous locations should be strictly avoided. Due to the risk of whirlpools and strong currents, school and college students have been asked not to enter the water under any circumstances. Parents are urged to prevent children from playing near rivers, canals, and waterbodies while farmers have been advised not to move their livestock across rivers or flood-prone areas.