With heavy rain lashing Idukki district on Monday, five shutters of the Cheruthoni dam of the Idukki reservoir were opened. The shutters 1 and 5 were raised by 40 cm and shutters 2, 3 and 4 were raised by 120 cm to release 300 cumecs of water at 3 p.m. on the day.
Earlier, the 10 shutters of the Mullaperiyar dam on the upstream of the Idukki dam were opened further. On Monday morning, all the shutters were raised by 60 cm, releasing 4,957 cusecs of water to the Periyar.
There was heavy inflow of water from the Mullaperiyar dam to the Periyar. Preparations were made to shift people living close to the river at Vallakkadavu and Vandiperiyar, said Peerumade MLA Vazhoor Soman.
Water has already entered the main towns near the downstream of Mullaperiyar. The water reached close to the main bridge at Chappathu connecting the Kattappana-Kottayam State highway.
Peerumade tahasildar K.S. Vijayalal said no one was thus far shifted to the relief camps opened at Vallakkadavu and Vandiperiyar. He said water entered some houses close to the Periyar in the two towns. Those residing there moved to their relatives' houses. If more water is released, people would be shifted to the relief camps, he added.
The towns that may be affected on the downstream of the Mullaperiyar dam include Chappathu and Upputhara. The main buildings in the two towns are close to the Periyar river.
Meanwhile, loudspeaker announcements were made in the two towns in connection with the release of more water from the Mullaperiyar dam.
The water level in the Idukki dam and the Mullaperiyar dam continued to be above the red level mark despite release of water from the two dams to maintain the rule curve level.
An official of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) said more water would be released from the Idukki dam in case more water from the Mullaperiyar dam reach there.
Three days ago, 10 shutters of the Mullaperiyar dam were raised by 30 cm.
