Heavy rain in Mullaperiyar dam area creates panic

Heavy rain continued to lash Idukki and other areas in this district, including catchment area of Mullaperiyar dam today, creating panic among the three million people living downstream. The continuous downpour rain in the district added to the woes of the people, who also experienced tremors early this morning. 


The tremors were felt four times at 0314 hrs, 0320 hrs, 0530 hrs and 0555 hrs. The first quake measured 2.7 on the Richter scale. The subsequent quakes were measured 2.9, 1.4 and 1.7 on the Richter scale. 


Based on a study by Roorkee-IIT, State Water Resource Minister P J Joseph today said a tremor gauging six on the Richter scale will be really dangerous for the dilapidated dam. If the Mullaperiyar dam collapses, it will destroy the dams at Idukki, Cheruthoni, and Kulamavu and 30 lakh people will be wiped off, he added. Mr Joseph said he would leave for New Delhi on November 28 to meet President Pratibha Devisingh Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to apprise them about the situation. MORE UNI DS VV RJ BST1620