Heavy rain batters Kerala’s Idukki; Mullaperiyar dam shutters opened as water levels rise

The hilly district of Idukki in Kerala witnessed extremely heavy rainfall on Friday (October 18, 2025) night, causing widespread damage in the district.

The Peerumade and Udumbanchola taluks witnessed isolated incidents of mudslides and minor landslips. Heavy rain at Kumily and Nedumkandam flooded several houses.

According to local residents, Idukki district experienced heavy rainfall from around 9 pm on Friday and witnessed extreme rainfall till Saturday morning.

Heavy rain flooded many shops and houses at Cumbummettu, Balagram, Thookupalam, and Balanpilla city in Nedumkandam.

Amid rising water levels at the Kallarkutty dam, near Nedumkandam, in Idukki, the authorities have opened four shutters, releasing 160 cusecs of water. According to officials, the shutters of the Kallar dam at Nedumkandam were opened at full capacity.

A parked traveller vehicle was washed away at Kootar, near Nedumkandam, after the water level rose in the Kootar river.

Heavy rain caused flooding in Kumily town on Friday night. In Kumily, five people who had been trapped in their houses due to waterlogging caused by an overflowing nearby stream were rescued.

As many as 42 families in the district have been evacuated to safer locations.

The water level rose to nearly 6 ft in the Mullaperiyar dam following heavy rains. The water level, which stood at 132.90 ft at 11 pm on Friday, it rose to 136 ft at 3 am on Saturday. It further inched up to 137.7 ft at 7 am.

Tamil Nadu opened three radial shutters of the Mullaperiyar dam at 9 am and released 1,063 cusecs of water into the Periyar river.

The water level in the Idukki reservoir on Saturday morning stood at 2,381.82 ft. The upper rule level is 2,398.96 ft.