Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday wrote to his Tamil Nadu counterpart MK Stalin expressing concerns regarding the water level at Mullaperiyar dam.

With a recent forecast indicating more rain in the region, Vijayan requested Stalin to ensure the gradual release of water from the dam through the tunnel to Tamil Nadu so as to avert another calamity in Kerala.

Kerala has been battered by a slew of landslides and flash floods these past weeks after a spell of heavy rainfall. Forty-two lives were lost to various rain-related incidents across the State.

In his letter, Vijayan brought attention to how Mullaperiyar's catchment area was receiving an inflow of around 2,109 cusecs and how only 1,750 cusecs was being discharged from the dam.

With rain likely to intensify in the coming days, he said the water level at the dam will reach 142-ft, the maximum storage limit, in no time.

Vijayan pressed for a timely intervention from the Tamil Nadu government to avoid a hasty raising of the dam's shutters which he said, would not allow enough time to take precautionary measures to safeguard the people living downstream of the dam. He invoked the historic ties between the two States and the cordial relationship that its people share to aid his point.

The State has also sent a letter to the central government urging its intervention on the matter. The latest report indicates that the water level at Mullaperiyar is at 136.85 ft.

Water level at Mullaperiyar dam

The water level in the Mullaperiyar dam has been steadily increasing in the past few days due to incessant rain.

The water level in the Mullaperiyar dam touched 136 ft on Saturday night. The first announcement to this effect was made by the Tamil Nadu government on Saturday.

According to the latest reports, the current water level is at 136.85 ft.

The second announcement will be given when the water level reaches 128 ft.

The first warning will be sounded when it hits 140 ft.

The chances of releasing water to the Periyar river will only be considered when the water level reaches 142 ft.

The Central Water Commission has already allowed Tamil Nadu to maintain the water level up to 142 ft twice a year.

The Tamil Nadu government is planning to exploit this as an opportunity to approach the Supreme Court with the demand that the water level must now be maintained at 152 ft.

Its argument is that there are no safety issues even if the water level is maintained at that level.

However, a new report by the United Nations report has highlighted that the dam structure is weak and that there are glaring fissures.

2018 situation

Kerala's recent efforts had been to prevent a repeat of the 2018 tragedy.

In 2018, when the worst floods in a century ravaged Kerala, the water level in Mullaperiyar was at a similar level.

On August 14 that year, even though the level was 136.10 ft, Tamil Nadu was releasing only 2,200 cubic feet of water to the Vaiga dam in that state.

At that time, the inflow into Mullaperiyar was 4,420 cubic feet. Later that evening, the inflow increased to 11,500 cubic feet and the water level went up to 137.40 ft.

However, Tamil Nadu neither lifted the shutters of the Mullaperiyar dam nor released water to the Vaiga river.

At night, the water level suddenly attained dangerous levels and Tamil Nadu opened the shutters of the Mullaperiyar dam without proper warning causing death and destruction in Kerala.