IMD red alert: Kerala braces for more rains

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A rain-ravaged Kerala is bracing for more downpour even as a low-pressure area is likely to form over southeast Arabian Sea on Friday.



The Kerala state disaster management authority (KSDMA) has stepped up its preparedness to tide over heavy to very heavy rains, as predicted by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The National Disaster Response Force has despatched teams to the state, based on a request by the state government.

KSDMA, on Thursday, advised Malappuram and Idukki to be on red alert on Sunday. The red alert issued to Palakkad and Thrissur earlier for the same day has been downgraded to orange and yellow, respectively.

The Thrissur district administration, however, decided to evacuate families living in landslide-prone areas, if the rain intensifies in the coming days.

Besides Palakkad, Idukki has been put under orange alert on Friday, Saturday and Monday.

KSDMA member secretary Sekhar Kuriakose said the alerts might change based on the weather condition. He added that all district collectors have been alerted about the weather conditions.

A high-level meeting chaired by the chief secretary has asked the authorities concerned to follow the standard operating procedures, including alerting and getting the approval of district collectors, before opening dam shutters.

With the neighbouring Tamil Nadu too in high alert, the reservoir levels of dams maintained by that state, are a matter of concern for Kerala.

IMD director K Santosh said the low-pressure area could intensify into a cyclonic storm, triggering heavy to very heavy rainfall in several parts of Kerala.

Heavy rains in the range of 7 to 11cm to very heavy rainfall in the range of 12 to 20 cm are likely in parts of Kerala till October 8. Heavy rainfall of over 21 cm and above is likely to occur in parts of Kerala on Sunday.

IMD and KSDMA have also warned of rough to very rough sea on Saturday, with strong winds gusting up to 60 kmph. Earlier, the authorities had asked fishermen to return by Friday noon, and advised them not to go fishing from Friday.

The Navy and coast guard, too, are on alert.

Meanwhile, many parts of Idukki continued to receive isolated heavy rains, forcing authorities to open the shutters of Mattuppetty, Kallarkutty and Malankara dams on Wednesday night and Thursday morning. The district administration also banned tourists from visiting Munnar, and restricted night traffic through hilly areas.

The water levels in Idukki reservoir and Mullaperiyar were 2387.76 feet and 129.10 feet, respectively, on Thursday.

In Palakkad, the shutters of Malampuzha, Pothundy and Mangalam reservoirs were opened on Thursday.