Heavy rain lashes Kerala, Mullaperiyar dam shutters opened to release water

Heavy rains lashed several parts of Kerala on Saturday, causing inundation of low-lying areas and a rise in water level in reservoirs, including Mullaperiyar dam in Idukki, prompting authorities to raise its shutters to release excess water.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), light to moderate rainfall or thundershowers are likely across the state over the next seven days.

The weather agency issued an orange alert in Pathanamthitta, Idukki, and Kottayam districts on Saturday.

A similar alert was issued for Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, and Malappuram districts on Sunday.

An orange alert indicates "very heavy rainfall" ranging between 11 and 20 cm in 24 hours.

On Friday night, heavy rain in Idukki district triggered flooding in Kumily, Nedumkanadam and Kattappana, where water entered several houses and residents were evacuated overnight, officials said.

Around 45 families were shifted to safe places on Saturday, authorities said.

A parked van was washed away at Nedumkandam as the water level rose in the Kootar River, according to television visuals.

Also, high-range areas of Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam, and Kozhikode districts witnessed heavy rainfall, resulting in flooding of roads.

IMD said that isolated heavy rainfall is expected in the state between October 18 and 24, with the possibility of very heavy rainfall at isolated places on October 18 and 19.

Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and wind speeds of 3040 kmph are likely during the next five days, the IMD said.

An IMD statement said a low-pressure area that had formed over the southeast Arabian Sea and adjoining Lakshadweep region, near the KeralaKarnataka coast, has intensified into a well-marked low-pressure area.

It is likely to move west-northwestwards and strengthen into a depression within the next 36 hours.

Similarly, a cyclonic circulation persists over the Mannar Strait region, while another lies over the south Andaman Sea and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal. "Under its influence, a low-pressure area is likely to form over the southeast Bay of Bengal around October 21," the IMD said.

It also warned fishermen along the coasts of Kerala, Lakshadweep, and Karnataka to avoid venturing into the sea till October 22, as strong winds of 3545 kmph, gusting up to 55 kmph, are likely over the coastal region.

Following continuous heavy rains, water levels in various dams across Idukki have risen, prompting authorities to release water, the district administration said.

The Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department, which manages the Mullaperiyar dam in Idukki, issued an alert. All 13 shutters of the dam were opened by 1 pm, releasing 7,163 cusecs of water.

The water level recorded at the dam at that time was 138.80 feet, above the permissible limit of 137 feet.

As a precautionary measure against rising water levels, the shutters of the Kallarkutty dam were also raised, releasing around 500 cusecs of water.

In addition, four shutters of the Kallar dam were raised by 60 cm on Saturday morning, releasing 1,063 cusecs of water.

Authorities have alerted people living along the banks of the Kallar and Chinnar rivers about possible flooding.

Four shutters of the Malankara diversion dam also remain open.

The inflow to the dam depends on the water released after power generation at the Kerala State Electricity Board's Moolamattom plant.

The water level at the Idukki reservoir, the largest dam in the state, stood at 2,381.92 feet at 7 am on Saturday, with a live storage of 75.80 per cent, officials said.

All the shutters of the dam remain closed.