A breach in the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) main canal in Malaipalayam village in the Perundurai Union led to the inundation of over 60 houses and crops in three villages in the district. Residents cited the poor quality of the new retaining wall as the reason.
Almost 1,000 cusecs of water has been released from the Bhavanisagar Dam into the canal for irrigation from August 15.
On Thursday night, a breach was reported beneath the retaining wall, which was just erected. A tunnel is also located beneath the canal that is used by pedestrians.
The discharge from the dam was stopped in the early hours, and officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) dumped earth and attempted to plug the breach with the help of earthmovers. As a precaution, people of Malaipalayam, Karaikadu and Varavankadu were moved to safe locations in the morning.
At 10.30 a.m., a breach occurred again, bringing the wall down, and water entered the villages and the farmlands, leading to the inundation of houses and paddy crops and sugarcane. Several heads of cattle were washed away. Since people were evacuated in the morning, no loss of lives was reported, but three houses were damaged. Though the discharge was stopped in the canal, water flow continued for five hours, and revenue officials and Fire and Rescue Services personnel carried out relief work. Since the roads were flooded, vehicle movement was disrupted throughout the day.
Collector H. Krishnanunni, along with SP V. Sasi Mohan, inspected the canal, where work is on to plug the breach. He said 64 houses and farmland had been affected. Perundurai MLA S. Jeyakumar also inspected the restoration work. Officials distributed food packets and other relief.
Minister for Housing and Rural Development S. Muthusamy inspected the works and the damaged houses on Pallathur Main Street, East Street, Harijan Colony and Puduvalasu.
The canal is made of dumped earth on both sides, and extension, renovation and modernisation of the LBP main canal has been on since March at a total cost of ₹709.6 crore.
