Tungabhadra Dam Gate Incident Causes Alarm

Last night, a spillway gate at the Tungabhadra Dam in Karnataka was washed away, sparking worries among local authorities and residents. The incident took place around 10:50 PM when gate number 19 was dislodged while water was being released from the dam.

Earlier that day, officials had already opened ten spillway gates to a height of 1.5 feet, releasing a total of 22,890 cusecs of water. Following the gate’s dislodgment, the Tungabhadra Dam Board promptly alerted disaster management officials across multiple districts including Bellary, Vijayanagar, Raichur, Koppal, and Kurnool.

The Board is now taking steps to fabricate a new stop log gate. This task is being supervised by gate works expert Kannaih Naidu, who has prepared the necessary designs. Talks are ongoing with dam authorities and the Managing Director of Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited to address the situation.

Local MLA HR Gaviyappa also visited the dam late that night to get a firsthand look at the scenario. Meanwhile, Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is expected to visit the site on Sunday afternoon to evaluate the issue.

Despite the incident, officials are confident that the increased water discharge will not jeopardize infrastructure downstream. Currently, the dam is discharging 85,156 cusecs, with a total river discharge of 89,784 cusecs.

Built in 1955, the Tungabhadra Dam is crucial for the region, stretching 1,798.28 meters and featuring 33 vertical lift gates. These gates can manage a discharge capacity of up to 6.50 lakh cusecs. The dam’s storage capacity is at 105.788 TMC when it reaches its Full Reservoir Level of 1,633 feet.

Earlier maintenance work was done in May 2024, ensuring that all gates were functioning properly. The dam began releasing water from three spillway gates on July 22, 2024, with the peak discharge updating to 1,65,915 cusecs by August 1, 2024. Investigations are underway to determine what caused the gate to wash away.

In response to this event, the Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Minister Nimmala Rama Naidu indicated that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is monitoring the situation. A specialized engineering team, including the Central Design Commissioner, has been dispatched to assess the damage.

Residents in the areas near the river Krishna, particularly Kurnool district’s Kosigi, Mantralayam, Nandavaram, and Kouthalam, have been advised to stay alert. Flood warnings have been issued due to the rapid discharge of water.