Idukki on alert after Tamil Nadu raises shutters of Mullaperiyar Dam

Tamil Nadu on Friday raised the shutters of Mullaperiyar Dam, which is built on Periyar River in Kerala, but operated by it, to release excess water due to heavier-than-usual rains this year.

Sources said the Kerala government relocated at least 3,000 people downriver from the reservoir as a precautionary measure. The water is expected to reach the reservoir in Idukki, Kerala, in a few hours. The district has been put on high alert.

Many houses have been submerged since the dam opened at 7am on Friday. However, no untoward incident has yet been reported.

Water from Mullaperiyar is being released to maintain its level at 138 feet. It will reach Idukki in two hours. If the need arises, Idukki Dam might be opened too to ease the pressure, sources said.

Also see: Will Mullaperiyar dam break? Kerala, TN fight goes on

Kerala water resources minister Roshy Augustine, in a press release issued on Thursday, urged people not to panic. He said the storage capacity of Idukki was 70.5 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) as compared to 12.758 TMC of Mullaperiyar and therefore, the water released from the latter would only raise the former’s level by a quarter of a foot.

“Therefore, Idukki will be able to contain the water released from the Mullaperiyar,” the minister said.

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked Kerala and Tamil Nadu governments to abide by the decision taken by the supervisory committee regarding the appropriate water level in Mullaperiyar. The committee has recommended maintaining the water level at 139.5 feet.

Meanwhile, dam authorities in Kerala are taking cognisance of the situation that can arise from a torrential rainfall. According to the weather office, heavy rains are expected in some districts. As many as 42 people were killed in flash floods and landslides after heavy downpour in Kerala earlier this month.