Thiruvananthapuram: After remaining at 2396.28 feet for the entire Friday afternoon, the water level at Idukki reservoir started rising again in the evening, but by 0.02 ft, and touched 2396.32 feet, according to the latest reading from Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA).
The water level in the reservoir had touched 92.15 per cent of its full storage capacity Friday morning 7 am. The corresponding readings from a year ago stood at 2,321.38 feet. The rain in the catchment area has dipped to 10.6 mm Friday.
At the Idamalayar dam, water level touched 167.42 metres late on Friday.
The sluice gates of the Malampuzha dam were raised further Friday morning. Those living along the banks of the Bharatapuzha and Kalpathy rivers have been asked to stay alert to rising water levels.
The shutters will be lifted by 9 centimetres each, up from the earlier 3 centimetres on Thursday. The small hydro electric unit at Malampuzha will also start functioning Friday.
Click here to know all about the Cheruthoni Dam
Kerala power minister M M Mani had on Thursday said that the Cheruthoni shutters will be opened when the water level in the Idukki reservoir reaches 2,398 feet. People will be alerted when the water level hits 2,397 feet and a trial run would be conducted when it touches 2,398 feet.
"The trial run will be held irrespective of whether the intensity of the rain increases or wanes," the minister told reporters after an assessment meeting at the Idukki collectorate on Thursday. One of the shutters will be raised 50 centimetres for four hours.
Orange Alert
After the water level touched 2,395 feet on Monday night, just eight feet short of the full level, an orange alert was issued. Authorities have asked all those living along the banks of Periyar River to stay alert. The full reservoir level (FRL) of the dam is 2,403 feet.
Orange alert implies that the present condition has the capacity to significantly impact the people in the affected areas. The KSDMA, however, said an orange alert does not mean that shutter would be opened any time now. The final red alert would be issued when the water level touches 2,399 feet.
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