The Water Resources Department (WRD) has initiated the diversion of surplus water from the Araniyar river to the Poondi reservoir, aiming to enhance Chennai’s water supply. This measure, taken for the first time in recent years, follows the heavy rains brought by Cyclone Fengal, which added nearly 1,235 million cubic feet (mcft) of water to the city’s reservoirs since Saturday. The storage in major reservoirs, including Red Hills and Chembarambakkam, has reached 58% of their combined capacity, with Red Hills at 83% and Chembarambakkam at 75% of their limits.