Kottayam: The water level in Manimala and Meenachil rivers has been rising due to intermittent heavy rain in the Kottayam district.
The monsoon intensified from Sunday. The water level of the Meenachil River has increased at Nagampadam and of Kodoorattu in Kodimatha, according to the hydrology department's report. The water level of the Manimala River has been rising at Changanassery Parayil Kadavu. However, no change in the water level of Meenachilar at Peroor, Kumarakom and Thiruvarppu.
The rain will continue till Thursday, according to the IMD. Along with the water level in the Manimala River, the hydrology department is checking the flow velocity using the device, current meter. The checks were started at the Mundakayam Causeway near the hydrology department's station.
Warning level
A warning will be issued if the water level increases by 1.2 metres at Cheripad of Meenachil River and if the water level rises by 1.6 metres at Teekoy. For the Manimala River, the Mundakayam area is 2.3 meters away from reaching the warning level and 3.78 meters at the Manimala junction.
Meenachil River
Cheripad - Current water level 10.38 m; warning level 11.58m
Teekoy - Current water level 99.93m; warning level 101.53m
Manimala River
Mundakayam – Current water level 56.595m; warning level 58.895m
Manimala - Current water level 12.32m, warning level 16.10m
Monsoon diseases too
With the onset of monsoon, communicable diseases are also spreading.
Apart from Covid, leptospirosis and dengue fever are also being reported. Eighteen people were infected with leptospirosis and 12 with dengue fever in 15 days. Forty-seven people were infected with leptospirosis and 34 came down with dengue fever in six months. Three cases each of dengue fever and leptospirosis were reported in the district on Tuesday.
The dengue fever was reported among the people at Vazhappally, Nedumkunnam, and Kidangoor; while leptospirosis was reported among people in Kottayam municipality, Aymanam and Chembu.
As many as 101 people sought treatment for fever in various hospitals, while 26 sought treatment due to diarrhoea. One person died of Hepatitis E and two people of fever this year, according to the health department's report. So far, Hepatitis A has been reported in three people and Hepatitis B in nine people. Fever was reported among 21,411 people this year, while 149 had chickenpox. Malaria was reported among four people.
The health department has become extra cautious as communicable diseases are spreading amid the Covid pandemic. More beds in the major hospitals have been set aside for Covid treatment.
Dengue fever on the rise
Among mosquito-borne diseases, cases of dengue fever have been on the rise. The major symptoms are high fever, headache, severe pain in muscles and joints. The patients could also suffer from vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach ache. The fever occurs within 4 to 10 days of the mosquito bite.
Though the fever might abate within a week like viral fever, caution should be exercised even after that. A very small percentage of people, mainly children, elderly, pregnant women and those with other illnesses, could suffer from severe forms such as dengue hemorrhagic fever (that causes bleeding) and dengue shock syndrome (low blood pressure).
