This story is from August 9, 2020

Kerala: Water in Mullaperiyar dam crosses 134 feet

Water level in Mullaperiyar dam reached 134.85ft at10pm on Saturday following heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of Mullaperiyar and Idukki reservoirs.​
Kerala: Water in Mullaperiyar dam crosses 134 feet
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/ IDUKKI: Water level in Mullaperiyar dam reached 134.85ft at 10pm on Saturday following heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of Mullaperiyar and Idukki reservoirs.
Concerned over the rising water level, Kerala’s chief secretary Vishwas Mehta wrote to his counterpart in Tamil Nadu requesting to release water in a phased manner when the level in the dam reaches 136ft.
Within 36 hours, water level in the dam rose by more than 11ft. It was at 123.20ft on Thursday. TN government had issued its first warning when the level reached 132ft on Friday.
Mehta asked TN chief secretary N Shanmuhkan to give necessary instructions to officials for releasing water from the dam to Vaiga dam and also requested the government to inform at least 24 hours prior to opening the shutters of the dam.
The chief secretary said rains have strengthened, especially in Idukki, and water level in the catchment areas of Mullapperiyar dam is fast rising. The water level that was 116.20ft on August 3, rose to 131.25ft by 2pm on August 7. He also pointed out that the Met office has issued a red alert for Saturday and Sunday in the district indicating heavy rainfall. At present, the inflow into the reservoir is 13,257cusecs and the outflow through the tunnel is only 1,650cusec, he wrote.
The chief secretary’s letter further said the surplus side of the Periyar dam which is part of Tamil Nadu, is functional and has the capability to release 1,22,000cusecs of water. We also know about the devastation caused in 2018 when only 28,000cusec water was released. So, immediate steps should be taken to release water slowly,” he wrote. Meanwhile, the water level in Idukki reservoir rose by 12ft in two days. On Saturday, water level had touched 2,358.94ft, which was 24.59ft below the new rule curve, which the Central Water Commission had revised recently. As per the revised rule curve, the shutter gates should be opened if the level touches 2,383.53ft on August 10.

The increasing water level in Mullapperiyar dam is a cause for concern, said power minister M M Mani. “The state government has informed the water level status to Tamil Nadu. At present, there is no need for opening the shutters of Idukki dam,” he said.
Heavy rainfall since Thursday night inundated Karinkulam Chappathu and Upputhara towns on the downstream of Mullaperiyar dam. Santhipalam bridge which connected Mlamala village to Vandiperiyar and Kartinkulam Chappathu Bridge were also destroyed in the rain.
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