COIMBATORE: Water released at Hogenakkal in Dharmapuri surged to 18,000 cusecs on Friday evening as water released from Karnataka reservoirs reached Tamil Nadu.

Incessant rains filled the Kabini and Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) dams in the neighbouring state.

On June 18, 25,000 cusecs of water were released from the Kabini dam, resulting in an increase in inflow to Hogenakkal.

From 6,500 cusecs on Thursday, the inflow to Hogenakkal surged to 9,500 cusecs on Friday, 8 am and further to 18,000 cusecs at 4 pm.

Officials of the Water Resources Department continued to maintain round-the-clock monitoring at Biligundlu, the entry point of the Cauvery river into Tamil Nadu from Karnataka.

Dharmapuri District Collector R Sadheesh issued an order banning bathing in Hogenakkal Falls and along the course of the flooded river.

Joint teams of police and the revenue department are patrolling along the river banks as a precaution.

Meanwhile, the release of water from the Mettur dam for Delta irrigation has been increased from 12,000 cusecs to 16,000 cusecs. The sluices of the dam were opened by Chief Minister MK Stalin on the customary date of 12 June for Delta irrigation.

The inflow into the reservoir also rose from 6,829 cusecs on Thursday to 8,618 cusecs on Friday morning and further to 16,821 cusecs around evening. The dam had a storage of 113.57 feet as against its full storage level of 120 feet.