The water level in the Idukki dam in Kerala touched 2,396.12ft on Thursday morning. With the intensity of the rainfall in the state coming down, it is unlikely that the shutters of the Idukki-Cheruthoni dam will be opened soon.
The Kerala government on Wednesday said water from the Idukki dam has to be released but in phases.
Many people are heading towards Idukki dam, the shutters of which were set to be opened after 26 years. However, authorities have imposed restrictions, and police personnel stopped people from visiting Idukki dam.
After the Idukki dam's water level touched 2,395ft on Monday night, just eight feet short of the full level, an orange alert was issued. Authorities had asked all those living along the banks of the Periyar river to stay alert.
The full reservoir level of the Idukki dam is 2,403ft. Orange alert implies that the present condition has the capacity to significantly impact the people in the affected areas.
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), however, said an orange alert does not mean that shutter operations at the Idukki dam would be done anytime now. The final red alert would be issued when the water level of Idukki dam touches 2,399ft.