The four shutters of the Neyyar dam were opened by an inch each on Tuesday as a precautionary step in view of the forecast for heavy rainfall during the days to come.
The Irrigation Department raised the shutters when the water level in the reservoir touched 82.12 metres.
The district administration had earlier issued directions to raise the shutters when the water level touches 83.25 metres. However, the present move was taken to minimise the chances of flood due to delay in opening of the shutters.
Sounding alerts in the villages of Perupazhuthoor, Neyyattinkara, Thirupuram, Poovar and Kulathoor, the district authorities have directed Revenue officials to prepare plans to evacuate residents from the banks of the Neyyar river if the need arose.
A shutter of the Aruvikkara dam has been kept raised at a height of 50 cm following heavy rain in the catchment areas.
Alerts in regions
With the monsoon showing signs of intensifying in the region, alerts have also been issued in the landslide-prone areas of Kallikkad, Amboori, Vazhichal and Mannoorkkara in the Kattakada taluk.
The village officers have been instructed to conduct field visits and assess the extent of vulnerability to mishaps.
District Collector K. Gopalakrishnan said there was no cause for apprehension and steps had been taken for disaster mitigation. Village officers and panchayat secretaries had been asked to take steps to relocate the residents to safer locations if required and to open relief camps wherever necessary.
The control room at the Collectorate could be contacted on 1077. In case electricity lines snap, call 9496010101 and for power disruptions, call 192 and 0471 2555544.
Houses damaged
Sixteen houses were partial damaged in the district on Tuesday after uprooted trees fell on them. These included five houses each in Thiruvananthapuram and Neyyattinkara taluks, three in Varkala, two in Nedumangad, and one house in Chirayinkeezhu. A total of 148 houses were partially damaged and eight houses completely damaged in the district since August 8, according to official statistics. As many as 553 people belonging to 141 coastal families were in six relief camps, all of which were in the Thiruvananthapuram taluk. A camp that functioned in Anjuthengu was closed a day ago.
Minor incidents of flooding was reported from parts of Karamana and Muttathara.
Rough seas continued to batter the coastal areas of the district. Thiruvananthapuram tahsildar G.K. Suresh Kumar said that the Fisheries department as well as the village offices had cautioned fishermen against venturing into the sea. He, however, admitted that there were instances when the fisherfolk had neglected the warning and attempted to set sail from the coast.
Two fishermen, who were part of a group of five, drowned after they had gone fishing off the Muthalapozhi coast on Monday.
