IDUKKI: Since the water level at Cheruthoni dam has increased, it the shutters of the dam were opened on Saturday at 11 am.

The above decision was taken at a high-level committee meeting headed by Electricity board chairman N S Pillai. One of the five shutters was opened and 50 cumecs water was released.

Earlier, the decision was to open the shutter today (Friday). This was put off after the water-level receded.

Apart from torrential rains, strong winds also caused widespread damage in the state's Kasargod district. The rooftops of many buildings and mobile towers were damaged and power supply was disrupted in the district for over four hours after trees fell on top of power cables.

Earlier, Director of Kerala's Meteorological Department had informed that Kerala is expected to witness heavy to very rainfall for the next five days and issued a district-wise warning.

On October 3, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said red alert has been declared in three districts - Idukki, Palakkad, and Thrissur - for October 7.

The state was recently hit by the worst floods in nearly a century, claiming the lives of more than 400 people and causing damages to the tune of nearly Rs. 20,000 crore.