Idukki Dam | Photo: Mathrubhumi Archives
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala state government has informed that all necessary measures have been taken to open all ten dams, which have been included in the ‘red alert’ category owing to the rising water level. A final decision in this regard will only be taken after taking into account the situation tomorrow.
The sole intention behind opening the dams is to keep water level below 90 percent. A high alert has been declared in view of the emergency situation and urged public to stay away from coastal zones and not to engage in fishing or any other activities in water bodies.
Decision has been taken to open Pampa dam at 5 am on Tuesday and Idamalayar dam at 6 am before the shutters of Idukki dam to be opened. Idukki dam will be opened at 11 am. The decision has been taken as the catchment area of the dams continued to receive heavy rainfall.
An alert has been issued to people in the affected area. “Two shutters of the dam will be raised to 50 cm. One-lakh litre water will be released from the dam per second," said Kerala Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine. KSEB has alerted that the water level in the dam is expected to rise to 2398.86 ft by Tuesday.
A warning has been issued to people residing close to the Periyar river.
With water levels rising due to heavy rains in the catchment areas, a red alert has been issued in respect of 10 dams in Kerala, two shutters of Kakki dam were opened and pilgrimage to Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala has been put on hold for now, state Revenue Minister K Rajan said on Monday.
Rajan said red alert has been declared for 10 dams, which include, Kakki, Sholayar, Matupatti, Moozhiyar, Kundala and Peechi, most of which are located in Pathanamthitta, Idukki and Thrissur districts of the state.
Besides that, an orange alert has been declared in respect of eight other dams, he said. The water level in various dams including Sholayar, Pamba, Kakki and Idamalayar was rising. Sholayar dam has already been opened on Monday. The low-lying areas of Cherickal, Poozhikadu, Mudiyoorkonam and Kurambala regions near Pandalam, along the banks of Achankovil river, have been flooded.
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