With rains lashing parts of Madurai district and other southern districts, the State Disaster Management Authority in Madurai on December 18, 2023, instructed officials to have the district disaster response teams on board to expedite rescue and rehabilitation work, if required.
Storage in the Vaigai dam reached 68 feet against its capacity of 71 feet. Following this, a flood warning was issued to low-lying areas in five districts: Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram, downstream from the dam . Officials said the water from the dam would be released anytime on Monday evening after another alert was given to residents.
A disaster management authority official said around 27 vulnerable areas have been identified including 16 in cities and 11 in rural areas, in the Madurai district where the fire and rescue department team have conducted mock drill exercises.
