Relief in central Travancore as showers revive rivers and reservoirs

Water level in the Pampa, Meenachil, Manimala, and Achankovil rivers, which had nearly dried up by the end of April, has risen sharply

Reeling under a severe drought for months on end, the showers that have lashed the central Travancore region over the past week have come as a major relief to the region.

The unrelenting showers have helped in reviving the inflow in all major rivers across the region, while the reservoirs too have recorded an increase in live storage. According to official data, the live storage of the Kakki reservoir is now at 27.45%, a surge from last year’s 21.84%, while the storage at the Moozhiyar dam currently stands at 19.31%. The Pamba dam, meanwhile, stores 8.12% of its capacity, up from just 1.57% during the same period the previous year.

Rise in live storage

Taking note of the situation, the Pathanamthitta District Collector has given the nod to announce various alert levels for the dams and the release of water as per the Disaster Preparedness Guidelines for heavy rains, as the live storage of dams have increased compared to the previous year.

The water level in the Pampa, Meenachil, Manimala, and Achankovil rivers, which had nearly dried up by the end of April, has risen sharply. The Pampa, which had transformed into vast stretches of sand just a month ago, has been flowing in spate for days and even submerged the causeway to Kurumbanmoozhy at one point.

“Most tributaries of these vast rivers, which ceased to flow during summer, are now active. Had the drought situation extended for a couple more weeks, almost all drinking water projects in the region could have come to a halt,” said a senior official with the Irrigation department.

On edge

As the showers in the high ranges continue unabated, the rising water level in rivers has put the lower reaches of the region on edge. Two days ago, about 16 houses at Thettupara Colony in Pathanamthitta’s Koyipram panchayat were inundated on Friday night. Several roads and properties in Upper Kuttanad remain water logged for days now.

The Public Works department, meanwhile, has banned traffic through the Poothamon bridge along the Melukara-Ranni road after the bridge was submerged by the overflowing canal.