With heavy rain lashing Palakkad since early morning on Monday, the district administration has sounded the red alert in areas close to the Bharathapuzha and its tributaries Kalpathy, Gayathri and Chittur Puzha.
The shutters of the Malampuzha dam were raised to 24 cm in the morning and further to 39 cm by afternoon as the water level in the dam increased following heavy rain. A large portion of the Olavakode town and surrounding areas were inundated following the opening of the shutters.
The district administration has informed that shutters of the Walayar, Chulliyar and Meenkara dams would be opened at any moment as the water level had started reaching the maximum storage level.
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A minor landslide was reported from Velampotta in the catchment area of the Malampuzha dam by Monday noon. No casualty had been reported.
Meanwhile, a thousand-member team of trained volunteers have started cleaning the houses which were inundated in the past week’s flash floods on the banks of the Kalpathy. They comprise staff and volunteers of the Nehru Yuvak Kendra, police, Fire and Rescue Services, different government departments, and voluntary organisations. They have been instructed to ensure maximum safety and hygiene parameters while engaging in the cleaning work. The affected families will be allowed to return home once the cleaning operations are complete. Steps are also on for the speedy allocation of the compensation amounts. Special cells have started functioning at the Collectorate to issue temporary alternatives to those who have lost important documents.
Most of the damage took place within the Palakkad municipal limits and so far 2,370 people have been shiftd to in 23 relief camps. More than 1,000 families still live inside their partially damaged houses.
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Holiday today
Meanwhile, a holiday has been declared for all educational institutions, including professional colleges, in the district on Tuesday in view of the continuing rain.