Kottayam: Heavy rain lashed several parts of Kerala on Monday, causing landslides and triggering fears of yet another flood situation. The fresh spell of rainfall has compounded the woes of people already reeling under unprecedented floods and downpour which have claimed at least 39 lives.
The district collectors of Palakkad and Wayanad have declared holiday for all educational institutions, including Aganwadis and professional colleges, on Tuesday (August 14). Schools which are functioning as relief camps in Ernakulam district and Thiruvalla and Kozhencherry taluks of Pathanamthitta district will remain shut on Tuesday. The Kannur University has postponed all exams scheduled for Tuesday. Idukki, Devikulam and Udumbanchola taluks in Idukki district have also been given a holiday.
Landslides
Incessant downpour also triggered landslides in Palakkad, Malappuram, Kannur and Kozhikode districts.
Landslide was also reported in the forest region near Adayanpara hydroelectric project, Nilambur, in Malappuram. Employees of the plant have been shifted to safety.
An uprooted tree fell on railway track near Tuvur, hitting rail traffic along the Nilambur-Shoranur route.
Sabarimala Sannidhanam isolated
Shutters of Pamba and Anathode dams were opened again, flooding Pampa. The downpour has triggered concern among Sabarimala pilgrims who are heading to the hill shrine for the Niraputhari ritual.
Also read: Pampa flood: Pilgrims advised not to visit Sabarimala
Pampa Triveni was submerged, flooding shops and hotels. After Sabarimala Sannidhanam was isolated, authorities have issued directives to stop pilgrims at Pathanamthitta and Erumely. Travancore Devaswom Board president A Padmakumar has appealed to the pilgrims to avoid Sabarimala for now. He pointed out that crossing Pampa River, which is in spate, in the heavy rain posed a huge risk.
More rain
Kerala is likely to receive heavy rain for two more days, with the depression formed off Odisha gaining momentum.
The Meteorological department has predicted winds at a speed of 60 km per hour.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture out to the sea.
Wayanad district continued to face the nature's fury, with landslides occurring at Kurichiramala in the wee hours of on Monday.
A landslip was reported at Vythiri also, but there were no casualties.
Authorities have issued alerts in eight districts - Idukki, Wayanad, Alapuzha, Kannur, Ernakulam, Palakkad, Malappuram and Kozhikode.
Banasura Sagar dam
Meanwhile, shutters of the Banasura Sagar dam in Wayanad were raised from 150 cm to 170 cm on Monday evening to release 144.5 cumecs water. More than 13,000 people from 3,500 families living in the low-lying and flood-hit areas were shifted to camps after their houses were submerged.
The dam safety executive engineer said the inflow of water was likely to rise in the incessant rain and the shutters would have to be raised further. Banasura is Asia's second-largest earth dam and largest in India. Earlier, dam safety and PWD officials said the opening of shutters was needed in the wake of major and minor landslides in the catchment area.
The shutters of Malampuzha dam were raised further by 30 cm following heavy rain in the catchment areas Sunday night and Monday morning.
Water level down in Idukki
Two shutters of the Cheruthoni dam were closed on Monday evening after water in the Idukki reservoir receded to a safe level. However, the remaining three shutters will remain open.
At present the water level in the dam is at 2,397.04 feet.
Meanwhile, the third shutter of the Idamalayar dam has also been opened in a bid to lower the water level, resulting in a rise in the water level in Periyar river.
The authorities have decided to open more shutters of the Malampuzha dam.
Tourism hit
The tourism industry, that was recovering from the cancellation of bookings at hotels and resorts following the Nipah outbreak, has been dealt a huge blow.
The Kerala's tourism department was all set to organise the famed snake boat races, which have mesmerised visitors for decades, by giving it an new format - Champion's Boat League (CBL) - on the lines of the Indian Premier League (IPL) from August 11. The event has now been postponed.
"We will find a new date. The government is currently busy with relief and rescue operations due to the floods and landslids in various parts of the state," director of Kerala Tourism P Bala Kiran said.
The Responsible Tourism Mission under the tourism department had drawn up a programme for organising feasts at countryside homes for tourists during the Onam festival next week. The flood-hit areas are now certain to be excluded.
According to E M Najeeb, senior vice-president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), 70-80 per cent of hotel bookings in scenic Idukki, Munnar and Kumarakkom, the most-preferred tourist destinations, have been cancelled.
The blooming of 'Neelakurinji' flowers in the hills of Munnar, an event that occurs once in 12 years and is eagerly awaited, has also been affected by the rain.
Crops destroyed
Idukki produces over a dozen varieties of spices, including pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and turmeric, besides many others, and the destruction has been widespread. Spices board sources 35-40 per cent cardamom and pepper crops have been destroyed.
According to Ajit B K, the secretary of the Association of Planters of Kerala, the tea, coffee, cardamom and rubber planters have suffered losses of about Rs 600 crore.
Rampaging flood waters have wreaked havoc in an estimated 3,171 hectares.
Those staying along Bharathappuzha and Kalpathi rivers have been asked to keep vigil.
Over one lakh people have been displaced and rendered homeless with the death toll rising to 39.
Ten columns of Army, a unit of Madras Regiment along with personnel of Navy, Air Force and the NDRF were engaged in relief and rescue operations in badly-hit districts including Kozhikode, Idukki, Malappuram, Kannur and Wayanad.
Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday announced Rs 100 crore as immediate central relief for flood relief measures.
The minister, who conducted an aerial survey of worst-hit areas in Idukki and Ernakulam districts, said the rain and floods had caused 'massive damage' to the farm sector and infrastructure.
The state government submitted a memorandum to Singh seeking immediate sanction of Rs 1,220 crore from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) to meet the situation.
In the memorandum, the chief minister said preliminary estimates suggested that Kerala suffered a loss of Rs 8,316 crore.
In rare gesture, dam shutters closed for jumbo to cross river | Video
A wild elephant, which was stranded on a rock in a river in spate, was rescued on Monday after sluice gates of a dam were closed briefly to allow water to recede in flood-hit Thrissur district.
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