Water discharge from Idamalayar up

With floodwater receding, people begin to leave relief camps downstream of Periyar

Even as the water level in Idamalayar reservoir dropped below the Full Reservoir Limit of 169 metres, the discharge of water from the dam increased by 200 cumecs to 400 cumecs on Sunday because of the heavy rain that lashed its catchment area.

With all four shutters opened by one metre each, the water level in the dam stood at 168.90 metres at 6 p.m. on Sunday. This was in addition to the diversion of 65.84 cumecs of water for power generation.

Though the KSEB had closed the first and fourth shutters on Saturday, the authorities were forced to open them again by Sunday afternoon since the inflow to the reservoir was on the rise. The board had declared a red alert in the dam after the water level touched 168.20 metres on August 8. Though the four shutters were opened, the water level in Idamalayar had risen to 169.83 metres.

With the floodwaters continuing to retreat, more people living downstream Periyar returned to their houses from relief camps on Sunday. As against the 11,512 occupants in 67 camps on Saturday, only 6,504 people are currently staying in 35 relief camps across the district. Those staying back at the relief camps also include 520 persons in 141 families from Kozhithuruthu island near Elanthikkara.

32 camps closed

Though 32 relief camps were closed on Sunday, people have been reluctant to return to their houses which are in bad shape with mud, clogged toilets, poisonous snakes, and contaminated wells.

The District Collector has declared Monday a holiday for all educational institutions, including professional colleges, in Paravur taluk. Besides, schools where relief camps are operating in other taluks will remain closed during the day.

Earlier in the morning, the outer wall of a house at Puthiya Road, near Koduvazhanga, collapsed in rain. No causalities were reported.

The Fire and Rescue Services personnel on Sunday rescued a person who went adrift for about six kilometres downstream of Periyar. Abdul Siddique, 33, a resident of Elookara, who had gone to the river bank in the morning to watch the floodwater, had slipped and fallen in the river.

He floated along the strong, choppy currents of the Periyar for about half an hour. On an alert, officials from the fire station in Eloor rushed to the spot and pulled him out of the water when he reached the Pathalam bridge.

He was released after being administered first aid at the Pathalam ESI hospital.