On Saturday, one of the gates of the Tungabhadra Dam was washed away, leading to a flood alert. The Tungabhadra Dam, a multipurpose dam located across the Tungabhadra River (a tributary of the Krishna River), has a total of 33 spillway gates. The incident resulted in the sudden outflow of 35,000 cusecs of water. Emergency repair work is currently underway to address the situation.
Currently, all 33 gates are being opened, releasing approximately 100,000 cusecs of water into the river.
Key Facts
- Emergency Contacts: The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management (APSDM) has released toll-free numbers for emergency assistance: 1070, 112, and 18004250101.
- This is the first major dam safety issue in the last 70 years.
The main reason behind the washaway of the flood gate
As per the reports, the washing away of the flood gate at Tungabhadra Dam primarily happened because of the failure in the chain link mechanism that holds the gate which led to the sudden release of a total of 35000 cusecs of water.
Preventive and Repair Measures are under way
In response to the incident, other gates were immediately opened to reduce the water level and allow maintenance work on Gate No. 19. Repair efforts could not begin until the water level was sufficiently lowered. In total, 60-65 TMC of water was drained before repairs could commence. Emergency services have been deployed to manage the situation, with evacuation plans and resources coordinated to assist affected communities.
Impact of Sudden Inundation
- The washing away of Gate No. 19 at the Tungabhadra Dam has had a significant impact on the region and the adjacent state of Andhra Pradesh, which received high-alert warnings due to the sudden overflow of water.
- The situation was critical as the immediate response involved opening other gates to reduce the water level, allowing maintenance work to be carried out on Gate No. 19. The repair work could not begin until the water level was sufficiently lowered, and this was the only option to prevent further damage. In total, 60-65 TMC of water was drained before repairs could commence.
- This incident led to the inundation of fields and damage to crops, severely impacting the livelihoods of local farmers. Residents near the riverbanks were also heavily affected by the flooding.
- Both states have been heavily affected by the unforeseen outflow of water from the reservoir. In Karnataka, towns like Hospet and districts such as Bellary have experienced significant inundation. Not only has agriculture been impacted, but it has caused considerable infrastructural damage to local homes, roads, and other facilities, requiring extensive recovery efforts. Similarly, in Andhra Pradesh, which received high alert warnings, elevated water levels have caused agricultural losses and additional challenges.
Officials are in action mode
Chandrababu Naidu ( CM of Andra Pradesh ) has urged Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav to engage with the Tungabhadra Dam officials about the possibility of installing a temporary gate. He also instructed to dispatch of a team of engineers to assist the dam authorities in repairing the gate. Chief Engineer of the dam Basavaraj paid a visit to the dam after the report of the incident
Learn about safe eternal place
Reflecting on Eternal Peace: Our spiritual books mention an eternal place beyond this physical world where there are no disasters—Satlok. Described in the Holy Geeta Ji (Chapter 18, Verses 62 and 66), Satlok is a realm of eternal peace and safety, free from the cycle of birth and death.
To learn more about this eternal place,click the following link
[Satlok – Heaven](https://www.jagatgururampalji.org/en/articles/post/satlok-heaven).
