With heavy rains lashing various parts of the state since Saturday night, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday declared a red alert in central Kerala districts of Ernakulam, Idukki and Thrissur for the day.
The heavy rains led to water level in various dams in the state rising to the red alert mark, prompting the government to open one of the shutters of Cheruthoni dam of Idukki reservoir in the afternoon.
Kerala Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine, in a Facebook post, said that in view of heavy rains in southern parts of the state, it has been decided to raise the shutters of the dam by 40 centimetres at 2.00 PM to control the rising water level there.
The water level of the Idukki reservoir at 10.00 AM was at 2398.80 feet, close to the red alert mark of 2399.03 feet.
The water level in various places along the Periyar was seen to be rising during the heavy rains in the morning, according to the state government.
The heavy rains inundated roads in several parts of southern Kerala, which also saw landslides in some parts.
Adding to this, the Tamil Nadu government on Sunday morning announced that the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam reached 140 feet, indicating the likelihood of its shutters being also opened if the water continues to raise.