Anticipating havoc due to heavy rains in Kerala over the next few days, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said that people living in disaster-prone regions should shift readily from their houses when directed to do so by district authorities. The Kerala government said that it has made arrangements at relief camps to meet safety guidelines, keeping in mind the COVID-19 pandemic.
“People should not show reluctance when asked to move out. Relief camps have been prepared by district authorities abiding by physical distancing protocol. There is no need of apprehension. The only thing is that people should cooperate with officials when asked to move out,” said the CM.
Pinarayi Vijayan said that Idukki, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram and Palakkad are sensitive spots.
“In case of landslides, we cannot be exactly sure as to which spot the disaster can possibly hit. That is why it is advised that people in the region should cooperate with officials,” he explained.
Cautioning people living in low-lying areas, the CM added that there are also chances for flash floods to occur. “Unlike landslides, we will get to know in advance if there is a chance of a flood, but in this case also, people should not hesitate if they get directions from officials,” he added.
The state has requested the Centre to deploy six more teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). At present, there are four teams in the state. The CM also said that along with district administrations, Fire and Rescue personnel are also ready to handle any untoward situation.
He said that the condition of dams in the state are also stable in terms of their water levels.
“The pre-monsoon works are completed. Though at present, things look fine, if there is persistent rain, water can be released from such dams. In such cases, people in the region will be informed and will be shifted to safe locations,” said Pinarayi Vijayan.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier predicted that a low pressure area is likely to be formed in the Bay of Bengal on August 4 resulting in heavy rainfall in Kerala. In August 2018, Kerala witnessed one of its heaviest floods in a century after a similar depression formed in the Bay of Bengal. In August 2019 too, landslides due to heavy rains caused damage in northern Kerala districts.
The IMD has given an ‘orange’ warning for northern Kerala districts till August 7, suggesting that district authorities be prepared to take action. The rest of the state has been given a ‘yellow’ warning. It implies that district administrations should stay updated on the changing weather conditions. Some central Kerala districts also have an ‘orange’ warning for Thursday and Friday.