The district administration in Kerala’s Idukki district on Wednesday, August 3, issued a blue alert as the water level in Idukki reservoir crossed the 2,375.52 ft mark at 10 am. The blue-alert level fixed by the central water commission is at 2,375.53 ft. The orange-alert level is at 2,381.53ft, red alert at 2,382.53 ft and the upper rule level is 2,383.53 ft, as per the present rule for the dam. The full capacity level of the reservoir is at 2408.50 ft.
A KSEB (Kerala State Electricity Board) dam safety official said that there has been a nearly two-foot rise in water level per day, and the KSEB is expecting more inflow to the reservoir in the coming days, as the India Meteorological Department )IMD) has predicted extremely heavy rainfall for the area. Power generation at Moolamattom power plant has also been boosted to try and bring down the water levels. The official said that the plant generated 14.550 units on Tuesday. The catchment areas of the reservoir received a rainfall of 78.00mm over the past 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the water level at Mullaperiyar dam reached 134.85 ft on Wednesday. The shutters of the Kallarkutti, Pambla, Malankara, Kundala, and Ponmudi dams were opened.
The major hydel dams in the state were at 70% capacity on Tuesday and they are capable of generating 3037.618 mu of power. The storage levels in major hydel dams on Tuesday were as follows: Idukki (69%), Pamba (65%), Sholayar (87%), Idamalayar (70%), Kundala (98%), Mattupetty (73%), Kuttiady (54%), Thariyode (78%), Anayirankal (55%), Ponmudi (93%), Neriamangalam (97%) Peringalkuthu (49%) and Lower Periyar (100%).
Idukki has been witnessing incessant rains over the past few days. Due to the heavy rains, a landslide was reported in Chithirapuram near Anachal in Idukki on Tuesday morning, and a home was buried under the soil. Valiyapadam Alice Joy, 55, a resident of Chithirapuram, was seriously injured. He was taken to Adimali Taluk hospital and later shifted to Kolenchery Medical college, where he is currently undergoing treatment. A landslide was also reported near Kuttikkanam and a portion of the road caved in at the Kottarakkara-Dindigul National Highway on Monday evening. The traffic was disrupted on the route for over three hours.
In view of the heavy rain warning, Idukki District Collector Sheeba George has temporarily banned all tourism activities in the district, including off-road driving, adventure tourism, boating, and trekking. Night travel has also been restricted in the district from 8 pm to 6 am, the collector said. Seven relief camps have been opened in various parts of the district and 128 people from 51 families have been shifted to the relief camps.