Authorities have issued a flood warning in the delta districts of Tamil Nadu since the Stanley reservoir at Mettur is likely to touch its full level by Friday evening.

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The reservoir is fast filling up and is at one foot less than its full level of 120 feet, Salem District Collector Suguramaran told reporters at Mettur on Friday. The official said discharge from the dam was likely to rise from the current 15,000 cusecs.

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This is the 37th time in the past 100 years that the dam is close to reaching the full level, sources said, adding that this time was the first since 2000.

At mid-day, the water level stood at 119.03 feet, against the full capacity of 120 feet. The Kabini and Krishanaraja Sagar dams in Karnataka are already full and the state is releasing the entire quantity of water into the Cauvery, whose catchments have been receiving copious rains.