Authorities in Kerala had to lift the gates of the Mullaperiyar dam in Idukki to release excess water after heavy rains on Saturday flooded low-lying areas and raised the water level in reservoirs. Over the next seven days, the state is likely to get mild to moderate rainfall or thundershowers, according to the India Meteorological Department.
On Saturday, the weather service issued an orange alert for the districts of Pathanamthitta, Idukki, and Kottayam. On Sunday, districts in Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, and Malappuram received a similar notice. “Very heavy rainfall” of 11 to 20 cm in a 24-hour period is indicated by an orange alert.
Heavy rain in the Idukki district on Friday night caused flooding in Kumily, Nedumkanadam, and Kattappana. According to officials, water got into multiple homes, forcing inhabitants to leave their homes overnight. According to police, some 45 families were moved to secure locations on Saturday. Television footage showed a parked van being washed away at Nedumkandam as the Kootar River’s water level surged.
Additionally, significant rains caused road flooding in high-range parts of the districts of Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam, and Kozhikode. According to IMD, the state is anticipated to see isolated severe rainfall from October 18 to October 24, with isolated locations possibly experiencing very heavy rainfall on October 18 and 19.
Over the next five days, thunderstorms with lightning and wind gusts of 30 to 40 kmph are expected, according to the IMD. A low-pressure area that had developed over the southeast Arabian Sea and the nearby Lakshadweep region, close to the Kerala–Karnataka coast, has deepened into a clearly defined low-pressure area, according to an IMD statement.
In the following 36 hours, it is probably going to shift west-northwest and solidify into a depression. Similar to this, there are two cyclonic circulations: one over the south Andaman Sea and the nearby southeast Bay of Bengal, and another over the Mannar Strait region. “Under its influence, a low-pressure area is likely to form over the southeast Bay of Bengal around October 21,” according to the IMD.
Additionally, it advised fisherman in Kerala, Lakshadweep, and Karnataka to stay out of the water until October 22 due to the likelihood of strong winds of 35 to 45 kmph with gusts as high as 55 kmph across the coastal area. Water levels in several dams in Idukki have increased as a result of ongoing, intense rains, and authorities have decided to release water, according to the district administration.
An notice was sent out by the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department, which is in charge of the Mullaperiyar dam in Idukki. By 1 pm, the dam’s 13 shutters were all open, allowing 7,163 cusecs of water to flow out. At the time, the dam’s recorded water level was 138.80 feet, which was higher than the 137-foot allowable maximum.
The Kallarkutty dam’s shutters were also raised, releasing about 500 cusecs of water as a preventative step against rising water levels. Additionally, 1,063 cusecs of water were released on Saturday morning when four Kallar dam shutters were opened by 60 cm. Residents near the banks of the Kallar and Chinnar rivers have received warnings from authorities about the possibility of floods. The Malankara diversion dam’s four shutters are still open.
The water released following the production of electricity at the Kerala State Electricity Board’s Moolamattom plant determines the inflow to the dam. At 7 a.m. on Saturday, the water level at the state’s largest dam, Idukki Reservoir, was 2,381.92 feet, with a live storage of 75.80%, according to officials. The dam’s shutters are all still closed.