Torrential Rains Flood Kerala’s Idukki, Mullaperiyar Dam Releases Water

Torrential rainfall battered Kerala’s Idukki district on the night of October 17, 2025, transforming the serene hill region into a scene of chaos with flooded homes, washed-away vehicles, and mudslides. The relentless downpour, which began around 9 PM and continued into Saturday morning, wreaked havoc in Peerumade and Udumbanchola taluks, triggering isolated landslips and submerging low-lying areas. As water levels surged in the iconic Mullaperiyar Dam, authorities opened its spillway shutters, releasing over 1,000 cusecs of water into the Periyar River, raising fears of downstream flooding in an already battered region.

The heavy rains flooded towns like Kumily and Nedumkandam, with shops and homes in Cumbummettu, Balagram, Thookupalam, and Balanpilla city inundated. A dramatic incident in Nedumkandam saw a parked traveler vehicle swept away by the swollen Kootar River, a stark reminder of nature’s fury. In Kumily, five residents trapped in waterlogged homes were rescued after a nearby stream overflowed. The district administration evacuated 42 families to safer locations, with relief camps springing up to accommodate the displaced. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Idukki and eight other districts, forecasting continued heavy showers and gusty winds through the weekend.

The Mullaperiyar Dam, a 130-year-old structure at the heart of a long-standing dispute between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, became a focal point of concern. By 7 AM on Saturday, the dam’s water level had climbed to 137.7 feet, surpassing the rule curve of 136 feet, prompting Tamil Nadu authorities to open three radial shutters at 9 AM, releasing 1,063 cusecs of water. The move, aimed at preventing an overflow, has heightened anxieties in Kerala, where locals and officials have long questioned the dam’s structural safety. The Periyar River, now swelling with the released water, poses a flood risk to downstream areas in Ernakulam and beyond.

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Nearby, the Kallarkutty Dam near Nedumkandam also faced critical water levels, leading authorities to open all four shutters, releasing 160 cusecs into the already strained river system. Meanwhile, the Idukki Reservoir, a key water management structure, stood at 2,381.82 feet on Saturday morning—still below its upper rule level of 2,398.96 feet but under close watch as inflows from Mullaperiyar could push it higher. The synchronized release of water from multiple dams has amplified fears of a repeat of the devastating 2018 Kerala floods, which claimed hundreds of lives and displaced thousands.

The IMD’s yellow alert, covering Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, and Wayanad, warns of 64.5 mm to 115.5 mm of rain in 24 hours, with strong winds and rough seas prompting a fishing ban along Kerala’s coast. The state government, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has mobilized the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local teams to assist affected areas, urging residents to avoid riverbanks and comply with evacuation orders. “The northeast monsoon is just beginning, and we must remain vigilant,” Vijayan said in a statement, emphasizing the need for preparedness.

The crisis has reignited tensions over the Mullaperiyar Dam, with Kerala advocating for its decommissioning due to safety concerns and Tamil Nadu defending its operational rights. As the rains continue to lash Idukki and beyond, the focus remains on immediate relief efforts—providing food, shelter, and medical aid to those affected. With more wet weather forecast, Kerala stands on edge, grappling with the dual threat of nature’s wrath and the region’s precarious water management challenges.

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