Idukki: Mullaperiyar dam opened two of its spillway shutters after water levels threatened to breach the rule curve. Both shutters were upped 35 cms each and areas along route of rushing water have been put on high alert. Meanwhile, water influx in the dam’s catchment area continues to be intense. Also, severe rainfall has raised possibility of Idukki upping shutters Friday evening. All preparations toward this has been put in place, including issuance of Red Alert at point when dam’s water touched 2398.32 ft level.
Mullaperiyar being a gravity dam without shutters, water from its spillways are coursing into Idukki reservoir. Of the 13 spillway shutters, 5 will eventually become opened. Currently Mullaperiyar is receiving 3108 cubic ft water per second of which, Tamil Nadu is taking away 2300 cubic ft per sec.
21 camps have opened across 7 villages located in the path of waterflow. 1079 members from 350 families have been evacuated to safety, said Minister Roshy Augustine. Water from Mullaperiyar spillway runs 38 kms before hitting Idukki reservoir – a course that takes 24 hours to travel. There, the water rush will take another 25 minutes to reach Vallakadavu – an area with human settlement.
After water level for Mullaperiyar dam got raised in 2014 to 142 ft from its previously allowed limit of 136 ft, Idukki reservoir has witnessed inflow from dam’s spillways three times now.
