The flood situation in the district continued to remain grim on Friday.
Chalakudy is the most affected region. With the Chalakudy river in spate, water entered hundreds of houses.
As water flow has been affected in the Parambikulam-Aliyar canal, water was flowing into the Chalakuday river. The situation became worse as shutters of the Poringalkuthu dam were opened.
The district administration has asked the people to remain vigilant.
An assistant engineer of Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) drowned on Friday. Kizhakkepurakkal Biju, 42, of the KSEB office at Viyyur drowned as the boat in which he was going to repair an electricity tower capsized at Punnayurkulam.
Orange alert
An orange alert has been declared in the district for Saturday and Sunday.
In all, 115 relief camps have been opened in the district and 10,985 people of 3,145 families have been shifted there.
Of these, 32 camps are in Chalakudy.
As water level remains high in the rivers and canals, people are advised not to bathe in these waterbodies. Shutters of the Asurankundu dam and Poomala dam have also been opened to release surplus water.
NDRF help sought
The support of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had been sought to intensify rescue operations, District Collector S. Shanawas said.
The Kerala Police Academy, Fire Force Academy and Excise Academy are supporting relief work.
Inter Agency Group, a network of 21 voluntary organisations, is also active in arranging facilities at relief camps. They are trained in disaster management operations.
Ministers V.S. Sunil Kumar and A.C. Moideen are coordinating relief operations.