Mullaperiyar dam deep fractur of the dam's foundation

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa may be shouting herself hoarse on the structural strength of the Mullaperiyar dam, but engineers of the Tamil Nadu government are fully aware of the dangers to the dam. Underwater visuals recorded by a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) show a deep fracture along the entire 1,200 ft length of the dam's foundation. The dam has inclined inwards as a result.

The visuals came from an inspection carried out by experts, including those from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, for the high-power committee set up by the Supreme Court to look into the stability of the dam. The ROV inspection began on March 5, after dividing the entire structure into 23 sectors, and lasted nearly a month.