Tungabhadra dam on Sunday has put lakhs of residents in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh on high flood alert. The 71-year-old dam, located approximately 350 kilometres from Bengaluru, experienced a critical malfunction when the 19th crest gate failed, leading to an uncontrolled release of water and raising serious concerns about potential flooding downstream.
As of Saturday, the dam, which has a total storage capacity of 133 thousand million cubic feet (TMCFT), was holding 100 TMCFT of water, with the remaining 33 TMCFT accounted for by silt. On the evening prior to the incident, 22 of the dam’s 33 gates were opened, discharging nearly 1 lakh cubic feet per second (cusecs) of water into the Tungabhadra river. The malfunctioning gate poses significant challenges, with engineers estimating that approximately 60 TMCFT of water will need to be drained before repairs can commence. The process of replacing the damaged gate and restoring full functionality may take up to four days or more, depending on the situation’s severity.
Authorities have issued a high alert for the downstream districts in both Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, including Kurnool and Nandyal. The deputy chief minister of Karnataka has personally inspected the site and confirmed that precautionary measures are in place. “On Saturday night, 40,000 cusecs of water were being released through ten gates when the 19th gate malfunctioned, causing a significant surge in the river’s flow. We are monitoring the situation closely and have implemented all necessary precautions,” he stated.
Despite the immediate concerns, Tungabhadra Board Secretary ORK Reddy reassured that the dam’s design is capable of handling the release of up to 6.5 lakh cusecs of water, though the highest recorded release was 3.6 lakh cusecs in December 1992. The Andhra Pradesh government has placed officials in Kurnool and Nandyal districts on alert, with senior engineers dispatched to the site to support the ongoing efforts.
Union officials have highlighted the need for modernising ageing infrastructure, suggesting upgrades similar to those seen at the Narayanapura and Almatti dams. This incident underscores the urgency of enhancing safety measures for critical water management structures to mitigate future risks.
