The water level fell to 2400.48 ft at 5 pm on Saturday after it crossed the red alert level of 2400 ft on Friday | EPS

Kerala floods: Worry lines erase as Idukki dam water level recedes

Water level at the Idukki dam came down on Saturday reducing chances of a flood in the downstream areas, although the weatherman has predicted more rains till August 24.

IDUKKI: Water level at the Idukki dam came down on Saturday reducing chances of a flood in the downstream areas, although the weatherman has predicted more rains till August 24. The water level fell to 2400.48 ft at 5 pm on Saturday after it crossed the red alert level of 2400 ft on Friday and reached a high of 2401.76 ft on Friday evening. According to an official at the dam control room, however, the water level mostly remained static at 2401.76 ft on Saturday over and above the red alert level of 2400 ft, and receded marginally to 2400 ft by Sunday morning.

“The levels are receding but we are on full alert,” said KSEB executive engineer Chandrasekharan. Opening of all the five shutters of the dam due to increase in inflow had caused flooding in several parts of the downstream area on Friday even as rising water levels had sparked fears of a rerun of the 1992 floods in the region. “We have already established nine relief camps in safe areas of Idukki taluk and they will continue to remain operational.

There is no need to panic as a lot of water has come down. But we will still be geared up,” district collector Jeevan K Babu said. He said relief camps are being equipped and police, Navy, Fire and health department officers will continue to remain deployed at vulnerable spots. Forest minister K Raju visited the floodhit areas on Saturday morning, particularly at Ettumury near Adimaly, where a five-member family was killed in a landslide on Thursday.

Raju, along with power minister M M Mani, attended a meeting convened at Kattappana Government College to evaluate the situation after the opening of the shutters of the dam, to analyse the total loss incurred and the relief activities.