Kochi: The anxious citizens of Aluva, Kalamassery and Kochi heaved a sigh of relief as the inflow into the Idukki and Idamalayar reservoirs came down on Saturday coupled with the fall in water level in Periyar.
The Periyar level fell as water receded fast into the sea and backwaters at three points. The river meets the sea at Munambam and backwaters at Kadamakkudy and Chittoor.
“The people on the banks of Periyar and at Aluva and other adjoining places were lucky as the flood water was sucked into the sea and backwaters through these three points in the two low tides that occurred in 24 hours till Saturday,” said Dr C.M. Joy, environmental scientist in Kochi.
This happened because it was the new moon in the Malayalam month of Karkidakam. “The most vigorous absorption of water in low tide takes place on this day due to the strong attraction between sun, moon and earth on this day,” he said.
Since there was no heavy rain in the coastal areas, there didn’t occur any sea turbulence and sea erosion which made the process of absorption of flood waters much easier.
“Moreover, the district administration and the people hit by the floods were spared of more trouble in the absence of any rain. The roads also were not clogged with traffic. All these made rescue and relief operations easy,” said an official who was part of the relief operations.
