Early release of dam water could have cut damage, say experts

The damages could have been reduced by 2040% had the dams and reservoirs slowly released the water in the twoweek period when the rains had subsided. ASHOK KESHARI, civil engineering professor at IIT Delhi

NEW DELHI: The floods in Kerala would have been less devastating had the state released water from its 39 dams from July end when the levels in most of them reached 85–100% of the capacity, according to the experts.

As many as 223 people have been killed while over nine lakh are sheltered in relief camps in the state. The water levels had been rising in the dams since mid-july, according to data from the Kerala State Electricity Board. “Yes, the rainfall was extremely heavy; much more than Kerala receives at this time of the year.

However, the IMD (Indian Meteorological Department) had predicted that the extremely heavy rainfall was very likely and the state should have taken the decision to release water from the dams that were almost full when the rains had subsided in July,” said an IMD official requesting anonymity. In August, the state received 164% of rainfall it usually gets during the period. The state had been receiving more rainfall since the beginning of monsoons.

“The damages could have been reduced by 20-40% had the dams and reservoirs released the water slowly in the two week period when the rains had subsided. The state did not have an advanced warning system in place and released water from the dams only once the danger levels (levels at which the dams structures can be damaged) were reached,” said Delhi’s Indian Institute of Technology civil engineering professor Ashok Keshari.