CHENNAI: Crowds collected at the Red Hills reservoir to watch the thundering water released from the floodgates on Saturday. With the opening of the shutters, it is official that all four reservoirs — Chembarambakkam, Cholavaram, Red Hills and Poondi — are full.

The cumulative storage of the four reservoirs, on Saturday morning, stood at 9,751 million cubic feet (mcft) against the total capacity of 11,057 mcft.

Rains continued to lash the catchment areas, leading to heavy inflows into Sathyamurthy Sagar dam in Poondi (4,343 cusecs) and Chembarambakkam (4,500 cusecs). Cholavaram and Chembarambakkam received 7 cm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending 8.30 a.m. on Saturday. Red Hills received 5 cm and Poondi 3 cm.

The Metrowater Board has begun to draw 100 cusecs from Red Hills for daily supply in Chennai. This has improved pipeline supply throughout the city. "As a result, we have been able to bring down the number of tanker trips from 3,000 to 2,200," a Metrowater official said.

Surplus water

At the Karanodai dam near Red Hills, people thronged to watch the Kosathalaiyar river flow fast and furious after a gap of nine years. The river, carrying surplus from Poondi, flows through Melsembedu, Valliyur, Tamaraipakkam, Jagannathapuram and Vallur before joining the sea at Ennore.

The floodwaters of Red Hills affected roads in villages downstream.

In Vadaperumbakkam and Sadayankuppam villages, roads were inundated with flowing water.

However, bunds along the surplus canal prevented water from entering homes.

People caught small fishes in the floodwaters, while children jumped in to swim.

Red Hills' surplus has not affected Ennore or Thiruvottiyur, but these areas are facing a hard time due to waterlogging after the rains.

Several factories in the area have stagnant water in their premises.

Heavy outflows from Chembarambakkam reservoir (4,500 cusecs) has affected residents of MGR Nagar, Nesappakkam, Keeraimedu, Choolaipallam and Saidapet.

The Chennai Corporation is providing food and shelter for these residents.

Protest staged

There were protests on Saturday too by people seeking distribution of flood relief.

In half a dozen places in the city and its suburbs, people took to the streets blocking vehicular traffic during the day.

Police said protesters at Tiruvanmiyur, Kamarajar Salai near Presidency College and Mangadu blocked traffic as their areas were inundated due to the heavy rains and demanded flood relief assistance, including cash from the Government.

At Red Hills, people protested that releasing water from the reservoir would inundate residential areas, police said.

At Guindy, people wanted the authorities to bail out stagnant water. Following the roadblock traffic on the busy Kamarajar Salai was disrupted for about half an hour at noon.

Vehicles were diverted through the service lane on the Marina and on Lattice Bridge Road..

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