Aruvikkara dam gates ordered raised to 120 cm; Karamana riverbanks warned

Deck: Four gates were scheduled to be raised by another 20 cm at 3:30 p.m. after inflow increased; residents near the dam and along both banks of the Karamana River were asked to remain alert.

Thiruvananthapuram, 4 November 2026: Continued rain in the Aruvikkara Dam catchment increased inflow and caused a steady rise in the water level, District Collector Anju K. S. said.

The administration instructed that gates 2, 3, 4 and 5 be raised by a further 20 cm each at 3:30 p.m. Reports quoting the Collector’s notice said the total opening would reach 120 cm, including an earlier 40-cm increase.

Public advisory

• People living near the dam and along both banks of the Karamana River were asked to remain cautious.
• Residents should continue to follow fresh instructions from the district administration.
• This is not a report of a dam breach. It concerns an ordered gate operation to manage increased inflow.

Separately, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority’s 1 p.m. update placed Kottayam, Idukki and Wayanad under yellow alerts for 4 November and listed isolated-heavy-rain alerts for selected districts from 6 to 8 November.