Wayanad: Due to incessant rainfall, it has made necessary to open the shutter of he Banasura Sagar dam in Wayanad at 3 pm on Saturday the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority has said. The catchment area of the dam has been receiving heavy rainfall and the rainwater will need to be diverted to the Karamanathodu tributary of the Kabini river.
The water level in Karamanathodu might be raised by 10 to 15 cm and hence people on the banks should remain alert.
The death toll has rose to 42 till Saturday morning, with Wayanad and Malappuram being the worst affected districts.
Earlier today the weather forecast department issued red alert in Kasargod, Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Idukki, Ernakulam and Palakkad districts.
Acres of land have been wiped out at Puthumala in Wayanad.
Certain parts of tribal hamlets in Attapadi have been cut off following a landslide. People have been shifted to relief camps in boats in some of the affected areas by the National Disaster Response Force personnel.
According to government sources, 1,08,138 people from 29,997 families have been moved from their homes, and around 1,003 relief camps have been set up across the state.
