Kerala - Kollam   

Thenmala dam shutters opened

Staff Reporter

Kallada river flowing in spate

KOLLAM: All the three shutters of the Thenmala Dam were opened at 11.15 a.m. on Monday as the water level rose to 15.82 m. The shutter in the middle was raised by three inches and those on either side by one inch.

The water level in the dam began rising following heavy inflow into the catchment in the past three days. Officials at the dam informed that the inflow increased heavily on Monday.

The opening of the dam shutters resulted in Kallada River flowing in spate. Those living on either side of the river had been warned in advance about the possibility of opening the dam shutters. Except at Munroethuruthu, the situation along the course of the river was not alarming. This is the second time that the dam shutters were opened this year.

Meanwhile, the rain subsided on Monday and water started receding from most of the areas hit by floods on Sunday. While it was generally cloudy, there was no rainfall in the city on Monday. Scanty rainfall was reported from some of the eastern sectors in the district. But the flood situation at the Munroethuruthu chain of islands remained alarming on Monday.

All low-lying areas including Kidapram, Peringalam, Nenmeni and Pattamthuruthu were hit by floods.

Chairman of the Munroethuruthu Island Development Council S. Ulhaskumar said that more than 1,000 houses had been affected. Out of them, the situation was alarming in 350 houses. He said that the opening of the Thenmala Dam shutters had resulted in panic there. Though the whole area was flooded, no holiday was declared for the higher secondary school there. As a result, many children had to wade through knee-deep water to reach the school. For more than 50 children from Peringalam, it was a risky affair, as they had to cross a causeway across Kallada River, which stood vulnerable to the rising waters of the river.

Mr. Ulhaskumar wanted Munroethuruthu to be declared flood-hit. He said that the free ration sanctioned appeared to be a cosmetic exercise. Following the floods, the fear of epidemics hitting the island also loomed large. He wanted a medical team to visit the island.

Sea recedes

Panic gripped people at Thirumullavaram in the city when the sea along the coast began to recede in the afternoon on Monday. The same phenomenon had occurred a few minutes before the tsunami last year. But on Monday, it lasted for only 30 minutes. Meanwhile, towards evening on Monday, the Paravur Lake started swelling. According to reports from Paravur, the pushing in of seawater made the lake swell.

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