Flood alert has been issued by the District authorities to 21 villages around Maduranthagam Lake as the lake is about to over-flow thanks to heavy monsoon rains experienced in coastal Districts in the State for the past fortnight or so.

Situated on National Highway 45, Maduranthagam is easily the biggest lake in the State having a capacity of 23.20 feet. Incessant rains for the past fortnight triggered by the north-east monsoon have filled the lake almost to its full capacity. Lake is receiving 250 cubic feet of water per second and there are chances of the lake over-flowing or being opened when it reaches the saturation point.

As a result, ‘flood alert’ has been issued to 21 villages including Kunnathur, Malayapalayam, Thottanaval, K.K. Pudur, Vimudhamangalam, Munnoothikuppam, Neelamangalam, Kathiricheri and Veeranakunnam situated on either side of the lake.

More than 10,000 families are expected to migrate temporarily to other safer places. The District administration has also banned bathing in the lake or clicking selfies with the lake in the backdrop.