Kochi: Aluva and adjoining areas and parts of Kothamangalam and Perumbavoor faced the spectre of another flood on Tuesday evening with all shutters of Cheruthoni dam opened and the amount of water released from Idamalayar dam increased following heavy rain in the district and in Idukki. Water was being released from Mattupetty dam also.
Consequently, the water level in Periyar and Chalakkudy river and connecting canals increased by evening and water entered houses where flooding had occurred the other day. With all shutters of Peringalkuthu dam lifted, the outflow of one lakh litre per second from the dam also contributed to the rise in the water level in Chalakkudy river.
District collector Muhammed Y. Safirulla put the tahsildars and village officers on high alert. He alerted the residents on the banks of Periyar and Chalakkudy river and asked them to move to relief camps when asked by the district administration.District administration officials said that the water level in Bhoothathan kettu dam reached the levels of five days ago when the floods peaked this season. However, with the prospects of releasing more water from Mullapperiyar dam, the water level may go up. Manikandan Chal in Kothamangalam taluk has been isolated as the chapath was submerged in flood waters. Two days ago, Idamalayar shutters were closed but on Monday morning the shutters were opened and the outflow was increased to 600 cumecs on Tuesday.
The collector also said that the national flag should be hoisted in schools on Independence Day on Wednesday, but there should not be any insistence on the presence of students. The decision was left to the school authorities.
The residents of Kuttikattukara near Aluva have been affected by recurring floods. "On Monday, floods receded and then came back on the day itself. On Tuesday too after a lull, water level rose. We cleaned our homes in two rounds but now it's all like before. We don't know when we can return to our homes and lead a normal life," said Prathapan, a resident of Kuttikkattukara. Prathapan and his wife Usha are at the camp from the first day of the flood on Thursday. The authorities are also now in the process of reopening the closed camps in the area. "MES East School would be the first to open," said Joseph Shery, councillor, Eloor municipality.
