As rains from Cyclone Ditwah subsided and cloudbursts eased, the Water Resources Department (WRD) on Sunday evening completely stopped the controlled release of water from Chembarambakkam Lake.The controlled release — started Saturday at 8 pm as a precautionary step — had begun with a discharge rate of 3,000 cusecs, anticipating heavy inflows due to the cyclone’s rainfall. As conditions improved, the outflow was successively reduced: first to 2,250 cusecs by 6 am Sunday, then to 500 cusecs by 8 am.
As per latest data, the lake’s water level stood at 21.20 feet. Officials said the decision to stop the release indicates that inflows have reduced and the threat of overflow has diminished.
Earlier, WRD had issued flood alerts to residents in low-lying areas along the banks of the Adyar River and across several suburbs of Chennai in anticipation of surge in lake discharge.
With Cyclone Ditwah weakening and water release halted, authorities have asked people to remain alert but reassured that flood risk has receded for now.