The water level in Kerala's Idukki dam further decreased on Sunday and now stands at 2,399.28 feet even as parts of Ernakulam and Thrissur districts still remain submerged.

The flood situation in Kerala remained grim with vast swathes of land submerged in Idukki, Ernakulam an Thrissur districts, but there was some respite from rains on Saturday, even as the government announced Rs 10 lakh each for the families which lost their homes and properties.

Thousands living around the Idukki dam and in Ernakulam and Thrissur heaved a sigh of relief on Saturday as the heavy rains predicted in Kerala did not happen and as a result the Idukki dam waters ravaging the area over the last few days subsided.

The flood situation in Kerala worsened on Friday as all the five gates of the Idukki hydel project were opened and shutters of over two dozen dams were lifted, inundating various parts of the state which reeled under the unprecedented downpour in decades. The floods have claimed 27 lives so far.

With heavy rains continuing in Idukki, the authorities in Kerala were forced to open the remaining two more floodgates of the nearly overflowing Idamalayar dam on Friday afternoon even as the death toll reached 27 in the state.

Although Kerala on Friday got some relief due to lesser showers pounding it than has been over the last two days, the death toll rose to 27. With the water level at the Idukki dam fast rising, two more shutters of the dam were also opened, said a Kerala Minister.

With the water level at the Idukki dam fast rising, two more shutters of the dam were opened on Friday, said a Kerala Minister.

The Kerala government on Thursday sought the Army's help as the death toll in the rain-related incidents rose to 24 with large-scale damage reported from various parts of the state.

The death toll in rain-related incidents over the last 24 hours in Kerala reached 24 on Thursday as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan postponed Saturday's annual Nehru boat race in Alappuzha following forecast of more rains.

The death toll in rain-related incidents over the last 24 hours in Kerala reached 22 on Thursday as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan postponed Saturday's annual Nehru boat race in Alappuzha following forecast for more rains.