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This is an archive article published on April 15, 2012
Koyna Dam safe,so are dams in Pune
The 4.9 scale earthquake that jolted the Western Maharashtra on Saturday did not cause any damage to dams in the region,irrigation officials have said.
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The 4.9 scale earthquake that jolted the Western Maharashtra on Saturday did not cause any damage to dams in the region,irrigation officials have said. The epicentre of the quake was near Ghoshatwadi in Patan taluka,only 10.4 km from Koyna dam that has the largest hydroelectric project in the country. The dam,144 km from Pune city,falls in earthquake zone 4 and has a current storage of 54.5 TMC water,which is around 50 per cent of its capacity.
Irrigation officials said Koyna dam,which was strengthened a few years ago,did not incur any damage. Immediately after the tremors were felt,the superintending engineer inspected the dam for any damage. No damage has been located at the dam from the quake, said Deepak Modak,chief engineer,Koyna dam.
According to Modak,Saturdays quake was around 5 on the Richter Scale,whereas the dam,after it was strengthened in 2005-06,can withstand a quake as strong as 7on the Richter Scale.
Modak said that the since 2005 Koyna dam area has registered at least 14 quakes that were 4 or above on the Richter Scale with the last being recorded on December 12,2009 when two shocks of 4.2 and 4.9 occurred in a day.
The Koyna region of Maharashtra is one of the most active regions with tremors up to magnitude of 4 continuously occurring more than four decades after the massive 6.3 magnitude one that struck the place in 1967. The Koyna region is the best known example of triggered (reservoir) earthquakes.
According to irrigation officials,all dams in Pune district including those that provide water to the city,are safe. If any displacement takes place due to the quake,the water discharge from the gallery increases. The movement may also cause damage to gates resulting in leakages. No such aberration was observed in the inspection carried out post the shocks, said Shivaji Bolbhat,executive engineer,Khadakwasla dam.
Avinash Surve,superintending officer,Pune Irrigation Department,said no damage has been reported from any of the dams in Pune district.
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