District Collector Mrunmai Joshi has warned the people in the district to maintain extreme caution from Thursday night as heavy rains have been predicted in the district.
She asked the people in Ottapalam, Mannarkkad and Attappady regions to exercise extra caution. All civic body heads in the district were also asked to maintain vigil.
All educational institutions in the district have been given a holiday on Friday in view of the forecast for heavy rains. An order by the District Collector, however, said that there would be an exemption for model residential schools and examinations scheduled earlier.
The authorities warned the people living on the banks of the Mukkaipuzha, Kalpathipuzha and Bharathapuzha to be careful as the water level in the Malampuzha dam reached the highest point on Thursday. The dam will open its spillway shutters on Friday morning.
The Aliyar dam in Tamil Nadu increased the discharge of waters through its spillways on Thursday. The dam released 4,613 cusecs water in the evening, ringing warning bells for those living on the banks of the Bharathapuzha. The dam raised 11 spillway shutters by 21 cm.
The Kanhirapuzha dam opened three shutters by 60 cm on Thursday. Three spillway shutters of Mangalam dam were raised to 70 cm, and three others to 44 cm.
Three spillway shutters of Pothundi Dam were raised to 45 cm. One shutter of the Moolathara regulator was raised to 70 cm, and the second shutter to 30 cm.
Five relief camps were opened in Chittur, Mannarkkad and Alathur taluks in the district on Thursday. As many as 182 people from 69 families were evacuated to the camps.
