Narmada Dam overflows due to heavy rains

Following heavy rainfall in the catchment area of the Narmada Dam, the water level at the dam reached 121.45 metres around noon on Thursday with total inflow at seven lakh cusec.

The dam, having a total height of 121.92 metres, saw water overflowing at close to 2 pm, even as the inflow continued. If the rain continues in the upstream and subsequent inflow maintains its current level, the water level at the dam may touch the level of 125.20 meter between 3 am and 6 am on September 10, 2010, said Gujarat government sources.

At 8 am on Thursday, the water level at the dam was at 120.71 meter, which started to increase following the heavy rainfall and touched 120.89 meter at around 11 am with total inflow of 2 lakh cusec. The inflow augmented suddenly to around 7 lakh cusec and as a result, the water level crossed the 121 meter mark. At 1.53 am, the level crossed the top of the dam, having total height of 121.92 meter, and water started to overflow. If the rainfall continues, the water level at Garudeshwar may touch the level of 25.60 meter on September 10, 2010 between 4 am and 7 am, sources added.

Heavy torrential rains lashed about 78 talukas of Gujarat by Thursday morning. Of these, while 27 talukas saw 2-8 inches rain, the rest 51 talukas received rain of about half to one inch.

According to the state government’s emergency operation centre, the last 24 hours by Thursday morning 7am resulted in Surat district's Kamrej village receiving rain of about 208 mm, Navsari district 169 mm, Valsad's Dharampur 156 mm, Panchmahal district's Dhodhamba 120 mm, Dang 120 mm, Navsari's Jalalpor 121 mm, Surat's Olpad 122 mm, Valsad district saw 132 mm, Jetpur Pavi 108 mm, Mahuva 100 mm, Kaprada 97 mm and Kalol in Ahmedabad district witnessing 54 mm of rain.