Coimbatore : With the release of water from Karnataka, the water level in Mettur dam in nearby Salem district is increasing steadily and rose by 3ft overnight, and all major water bodies in Coimbatore district also reached their capacity.

Mettur Dam water level, which was 65.15 ft yesterday, was now reading 68.42 ft (120 ft capacity), rising 3.27 ft in a day, due to heavy rain in the catchment areas and also release of water by Karnataka, official
sources said.

The inflow, which was 14,334 cusecs yesterday, is now now 32,884 cusecs and 1,000 cusecs of water is being released for drinking water purpose. With morewater expected to be released from Karnataka, the inflow may cross
60,000 cusecs.

Heavy rain across Tamil Nadu, which was declared a drought-hit state last year, may result in the State receiving maximum capacity in all its reservoirs, bringing cheers to the farmers, particularly in the delta districts, including Thanjavur, the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu.

Incessant rain in the Western Ghats have resulted in increasing the water level in Siruvani reservoir, the lifeline of Coimbatoreans, which has started overflowing

The water level has crossed its fully capacity of 50 ft, they said. Another major water body, Pilloor dam in Mettupalayam, was also brimming to full, necessitating the release of nearly 12,000 cusecs to match the inflow since morning, even as district administration has already sounded a flood alert to those living on the banks of the Bhavani in spate.

The district administration declared holiday for schools for the third day today in Valparai due to incessant rain. Similarly, Nilgiris district administration declared holiday for schools in Gudalur and Pandalur taluks today.