CHENNAI: The department of Water Resources Department (WRD) has issued five flood alerts regarding heavy inflow to Sathanur reservoir from upstream of Thenpennai River and its tributaries following heavy downpour due to cyclone Fengal.

After the water level touched safety storage limit of 117.50 ft, the officials released water from the reservoir judicially, from 18,500 cusecs to 1.80 lakh cusecs, to avert major destruction in the downstream, said minister Duraimurugan.

He also lashed out at political parties' leaders for their remarks that huge quantity of water discharged from Sathanur dam without alert and said that some, without conscience, have been spreading misinformation.

If we did not discharge 1.80 lakh cusecs of water after the 5th flood alert issued at 2.45 am on Dec 2, it would have caused heavy damage to the reservoir and resulted in dumping 7 tmc (thousand cubic feet) in the downstream, the minister added.

“If that would have happened, we could not imagine the extent of destruction,” said the minister and applauded the officials for acting appropriately and managing the inflow and outflow of the water to the reservoirs across Thenpennai reservoirs, including Krishnagiri and Sathanur.