Kerala on toes as rains return

Kochi: The state faced another bout of recurrent landslides and floods as people, who had started leaving relief camps, began to beat a hasty retreat, noticing their dwellings caught in the fury of swollen streams and torrential outflow from reservoirs, particularly in Kozhikode, Palakkad, Thrissur, Idukki and Pathanamthitta and Ernakulam districts. Authorities opened shutters of 27 dams across the State  while the Met office forecast heavy rains till August 18.

Chief secretary Tom Jose and additional chief secretary P.H. Kurien have advised the people residing on the banks of Periyar, Chalakudy river basin and downstream areas of Banasura Sagar dam in Wayanad district to remain vigilant and be ready for evacuation if needed.

The possibility of opening the shutters of Mullaperiyar dam has added to the woes of the state administration battling the flood havoc for the past one week.

The executive committee of Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) decided to open all shutters of Cheruthony dam as Tamil Nadu state relief commissioner intimated that water from Mullaperiyar reservoir was likely to be released in view of the heavy inflow and the water level touching 138.70 feet.

If the dam is opened, water will reach Idukki dam through the Vandiperiyar chappath. The release of water may necessitate the relocation of nearly 1,250 families and the district administration has already initiated steps in this regard. The officials in Tamil Nadu will take a final call on the matter.  The KSDMA has also asked the people living on the banks of Periyar in Ernakulam, Idukki and Thrissur districts to be ready for relocation on notice from the respective district administrations.

Aluva and adjoining areas and parts of Kothamangalam and Perumbavoor faced the spectre of another flood with all shutters of Cheruthoni dam opened and increase in the amount of water released from Idamalayar. The water level in Periyar, Chalakkudy river and connecting canals increased by evening and water entered houses which witnessed a flood the other day. With all shutters of Peringalkuthu dam lifted, the outflow of one lakh litre per second also contributed to rise in the water level in Chalakkudy river. The tourist hill resort of Munnar town was virtually cut off as the Mattupetty dam was opened while in Palakkad and Kozhikode many places were flooded as more water was released from dams in the district. The Kochi – Dhanushkodi national highway,  Munnar – Udumalpetta interstate highway and Munnar-Aluva   highway, the three main roads connecting Munnar to the outside world, were inundated and vehicular traffic was paralyzed. Devikulam tahsildar P.K. Shaji said so far there were no reports of any tourists getting trapped in any of the resorts in the area.

Torrential rain lashed all Malabar districts on Tuesday. Wayanad, the worst-hit, is facing the third spell of floods with heavy rain for the past 24 hours. All roads in the ghat section were blocked.