In the wake of the unprecedented rain and floods, the Kerala Cabinet on Tuesday decided to cancel Onam celebrations at the end of the month.
After a lull of two days, heavy rain lashed several districts of Kerala on Tuesday, resulting in landslides and flooding of towns and low-lying areas. No casualty was reported until evening.
As the water level in Idukki dam started rising again, after falling during the last three days, the electricity board issued an alert to people downstream.
As rain had subsided and inflow reduced, two spill gates of the Cheruthoni dam were closed and outflow from the other three shutters were reduced since Monday. However, the heavy inflow to the dam forced the authorities to open all shutters again.
Massive landslides were reported from hilly regions of Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode and Malappuram, which saw very heavy rain on Tuesday. Several low-lying area in Wayanad were inundated after the shutters of Banasura Sagar Dam were lifted to 210 cm since afternoon. Hill stations Munnar and Palakkad were flooded after shutters of nearby Mattupetty and Malampuzha dams, respectively, were opened. Idukki district administration has warned people against visiting Munnar, where scores have been stranded in the flood.
In the wake of the unprecedented rain and floods, the Kerala Cabinet on Tuesday decided to cancel Onam celebrations at the end of the month. The Rs 30 crore earmarked for government-sponsored Onam festivities will be spent on relief work. CM Pinarayi Vijayan said the state had incurred loss of Rs 8,316 crore in the monsoon havoc.