People living in low-lying areas in the districts of Salem, Namakkal, Perambalur, Tiruchirapalli, Thanjavur, among others, were advised to evacuate to safer places as the water discharge would be increased progressively.

The water level in the reservoir stood at 120.650 feet as against its full level of 120 feet this morning.

A report from Tiruchirapalli said from the Grand Anaicut in Thanjavur district, about 5,020 cusecs of water was let into the Cauvery and Vennar, 3,046 cusecs into the Grand Anaicut Canal and 6,222 cusecs into the Coleroon River for irrigation purposes under the turn system.

Flood alert has been sounded in districts through which the Cauvery traverses, as the Stanley reservoir received 1.30 lakh cusecs following heavy receipt of inflows since Saturday night.

The dam recorded an inflow of 96,977 cusecs at 8 a.m. on Sunday, which increased to 97,665 cusecs at noon. However, it came down to 77,380 cusecs at 4 p.m. and jumped to 1,32,869 cusecs at 7 pm. The total outflow was increased from 43,702 cusecs to 1,29,217 cusecs.

Salem Collector A. Sukumaran asked his officials to prepare for evacuation of people living in the low-lying areas and near the river, following the flood alert.

The Public Works Department (PWD), through the district administrations of Salem, Namakkal, Erode, Karur, Tiruchi and Thanjavur, sounded the first alert at about 8.30 a.m. when the outflow increased to 20,000 cusecs, apart from the 20,000 cusecs being drawn for the delta irrigation.

In the evening, the surplus discharge was increased to 1,09,217 cusecs. Thus, a total of 1,29,217 cusecs was being let into the river.

"This may further be stepped up if the inflows continue to be heavy," said a senior dam official. The surplus has been maintained at 8,000 cusecs since October 18 after it attained the Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 120 feet on October 17.