THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

Although rainfall activity over Kerala has come down significantly by Monday, the State will opt to remain on alert for a few more days, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said.

The Chief Minister, during his customary evening briefing on Monday, presented statistics to illustrate the sheer intensity of the recent monsoon activity. Kerala had received more rainfall in the first 10 days of August than was normal for the entire month, he said.

Normally, the State may expect 427 mm during August, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). However, the State has recorded a total rainfall of 476 mm from August 1 to August 10. “Extremely heavy rainfall of this nature in August has been a recurrent feature in the past three years,” Mr. Vijayan said.

Yellow alert

The IMD has forecast isolated heavy rainfall for some of the northern districts on Tuesday — Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod are on yellow alert. River water levels, including in the Manimala, Achencoil and Meenachil, have dipped with the reduction in rainfall. Controlled release from the Kerala State Electricity Board and Irrigation Department dams will be stopped once the storage attains safe levels.

More than 15,000 people were shifted in Wayanad due to the incessant rain. Of this 11,000 people were shifted to the homes of relatives. The rain has eased in the district and the water level in the Banasurasagar and Karappuzha dams is under control. As many as 1,232 families (4,217 people) were evacuated to 81 relief camps. Of this, 2,312 belong to tribal communities. Nine families (27 people) from the Cherunelli colony in Nelliyampathy in Palakkad district have been evacuated, given the possibility of landslips in the district.

Severe coastal inundation is continuing in Chellanam in Ernakulam district. On the other hand, river water levels in the district had not risen to alarming levels, the Chief Minister said.

In Kottayam, water level in the Meenachil and Manimala rivers and tributaries are still above the danger level. A total of 217 families (5467 people) have been evacuated to camps.

Dam shutters raised

The shutters of Moozhiyar, Pampa and Maniyar dams in Pathanamthitta district have been raised. As many as 125 camps have been opened in the district. Fifty-five fishers have arrived in the district from Neendakara and Azheekal for aiding rescue operations. As many as 583 people have been shifted to two camps in Thiruvananthapuram over the past few days.