Authorities on alert as Idukki dam nears full level

With rain in catchment areas of Idukki keeping water level at the dam on the rise, the Kerala government on Monday continued to step up preparedness.

The level at the dam, at 6 pm, stood at 2394.9 ft; its full capacity is 2403 ft.

The district administration is learnt to be planning a trial run for raising shutters in Cheruthoni dam— which has the reservoir’s spillways— when the level touches 2397 ft.

Idukki Collector Jeevan Babu said there was no cause for panic and a possible orange alert (at 2395 ft) and trial run was only part of protocol.

“A decision on raising shutters of the Cheruthoni dam will be taken based on rain in the catchment areas and the inflow. The date and time will be announced well in advance,” he said.

A team of National Disaster Response Force personnel is stationed in the district and two other teams are stationed in Ernakulam and Thrissur districts.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard were put on alert. Shutters of the dam were last raised in 1992.

The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority has issued an advisory against the backdrop of possible release of water.

The authority cautioned against crowding and taking selfies on bridges and river banks as the water is released.

“Travelling to Vazhathopp, Mariyapuram, Kanjikkuzhi, Vatthikudy and Konnathadi panchayats of Idukki as tourists to witness the shutter operations may be avoided,” the advisory said.

Preliminary preparations in human settlements along the water’s course and downstream regions were underway on Monday.

The Idukki, Cheruthoni and Kulamavu dams constitute the Idukki Hydroelectric Project with sluices built into the Cheruthoni dam.

Once released, the water would join the Cheruthoni river and later, the Periyar, and flow into parts of Ernakulam district before it joins the Arabian Sea.

The India Meteorological Department has forecast heavy rainfall in parts of Kerala till August 1.

The state has, between June 1 and July 30, received 15.58 % excess rainfall.

Idukki has clocked 45.46 % excess rainfall during the period. The southwest monsoon set in over Kerala on May 29.