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Idukki, Mullaperiyar dams opened as Kerala braces for another wet spell
This is the first time shutters of Idukki arch dam were opened thrice a year since it was built in 1973. Similarly Tamil Nadu opened shutters of the 126-year-old Mullaperiyar dam second time this year.
With the weather department predicting another spell of rains, shutters of Idukki and Mullaperiyar, two major dams of Kerala, were opened on Thursday to let out surplus storage of water. State water resources minister Roshy Augustine said in Idukki that dams were opened as a precautionary measure after meeting all requirements.
This is the first time shutters of Idukki arch dam were opened thrice a year since it was built in 1973. Similarly Tamil Nadu opened shutters of the 126-year-old Mullaperiyar dam second time this year. Though rains subsided in other parts of the state in last couple of days, catchment areas received heavy downpour swelling dams.
“Idukki dam was opened as a precaution. Now water level is manageable. We have alerted people living in downstream areas,” said the minister. Idukki district collector Sheeba George also said all precautionary measures were taken before opening both dams.
The public works department of TN informed its counterpart about the decision to open Mullapeiyar after water level crossed 141 feet. It opened two shutters to release excess water -- since TN is getting heavy downpour, it is taking minimum water from Mullaperiyar for southern districts these days. Kerala dam authorities said Idukki was opened after shutters of Mullaperiyar were opened. In Idukki district alone, there are 20 big and small dams.
While catchment areas of Idukki dam received 30 mm rain fall in last 24 hours in Mullaperiyar it was 22 mm. The inflow of water doubled in two dams forcing authorities to ease them immediately. Shutters of Idukki dam was opened first on October 27, second on November 14 and third on November 18.
The usual rainfall in northeast monsoon in Kerala is 492 mm between October 1 and December 31, but this time between October 1 and November 15 the state received 820 mm rains against the expected fall of 392.8mm during the same period, IMD statistics show. Going by the present pattern, rainfall will be at least 200% higher than usual rate by the end of December.
After a brief respite, wet condition is likely to pick up by Friday, India Meterological Department said, adding heavy rains will continue till November 21. It issued yellow alert in nine districts. The low-pressure formation in the Bay of Bengal is expected to get stronger and will make a landfall along TN-Andhra coast on Friday.
This time Kerala received two heavy spells of northeast monsoon -- in October second-third week the state witnessed landslides and flash floods after torrential downpour claiming 42 lives and in November second week eight lives were lost in the second spell.
