Due to continuous rain, water from Shenbagathoppu dam in Tiruvannamalai was released. 

Officials of Water Resources Department (WRD), which maintains the dam, said around 100 cusecs of water per second from Shenbagathoppu dam was released as the dam reached around 80 percent of its total storage capacity. 

At present, the water level in the dam is 56.24 ft as against its total storage capacity of 62.32 ft. “As per norms, excess rainwater should be released when the dam nears 80% of its total storage capacity, to ensure safety of the structure. Catchment areas, especially Jawadhu Hills that is the primary water source of the dam, have been receiving steady rains,” A. Raja Ganapathy, Assistant Engineer (AE), WRD, told The Hindu. 

Tiruvannamalai Collector Vandhana Garg has warned residents in Cheyyar, Arani, Vandavasi, and Polur towns along Kamandalam Naganathi river against crossing the waterbody as the waterflow in the river is on the rise. 

At present, excess water from the dam is discharged into 48 tanks—Polur (18), Arani (12), Arcot (9), Cheyyar (8), and Vandavasi (1)—through four check dams in the district, including Alliyabhad and Karnakur, thereby recharging the water table in and around these villages. 

On Saturday, rain lashed Vellore, Gudiyatham, Arcot, Ambur, Vaniyambadi, Chengam and surrounding villages in Vellore, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, and Tirupattur districts.