Thodupuzha: All five shutters of the Cheruthoni dam of the Idukki reservoir in Kerala were opened on Tuesday evening as heavy rain lashed the hilly district. Two shutters of the Cheruthoni dam were closed Monday evening as water receded to a safe level.
Idukki dam, the biggest arch dam in Asia, was opened after 26 years last week as the water level inched towards its maximum capacity of 2,403 feet. Cheruthoni dam shutters are opened to release water from the Idukki reservoir.
Incessant rain in the catchment area had caused the rapid rise in the water level.
Also read: Rain fury continues in Kerala, Munnar badly hit
Since Tuesday morning, various parts of Kerala, especially the two hilly districts of Wayanad and Idukki, received heavy rain.
The picturesque Munnar town in Idukki district was almost totally cut off and traffic was disrupted after two shutters of the Mattupetti dam were opened as the water level rose.
Cheruthoni dam explained in graphics
The rising level at the Mullaperiyar dam, which touched 136.10 feet against its maximum level of 142 feet, was a matter of concern, official sources said.
Also read: Cheruthoni water level towers over pyramid
An alert was sounded, asking people to remain cautious.
Landslides
A series of landslides were reported in Kurichya and Makki hills and the Thamarassery ghat road in Wayanad.
Heavy rain also lashed the northern Kerala districts of Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kannur and Palakkad.
Ottapalam in Palakkad received the highest rainfall of 13 cm on Tuesday, followed by Munnar (Idukki) 12 cm and various places in Malappuram, Kozhikode and Waynad received 10 cm each.
According to authorities, over 215 landslides were reported in the rain-battered state, where 444 villages were declared flood-hit by the Kerala government.
At least 20,000 houses were fully destroyed in the deluge and about 30,000 people had taken shelter in relief camps.
The rain and landslides had destroyed 10,000 km of roads in the state. The chief minister also requested government and PSU employees to donate two days' salary for the Chief Minister's Disaster Relief Fund.
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