Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts in Kerala have suspended the vaccination drive scheduled for Friday following the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a red colour code warning in the districts, as extremely heavy rainfall is predicted throughout the districts. The IMD has predicted that the low pressure area that is formed in the Arabian Sea is likely to concentrate into a depression by May 15, and intensify into a cyclonic storm by May 16.
Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathanamthitta districts have also been issued red colour code warnings by the IMD. Red colour code warning directs district authorities to take action on the weather impacts.
“In the backdrop of red alert warning due to the low pressure (in Arabian Sea), all scheduled COVID-19 vaccination sessions for May 14, across the districts has been suspended,” Thiruvananthapuram Collector Navjot Khosa said in a Facebook post.
Kollam Collector Abdul Nasar also took to Facebook to announce there will be ‘no vaccination on Friday in the district due to red alert’.
Meanwhile, orange alert, directing officials to stay prepared to take emergency action, has been issued for many central Kerala districts like Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki. Many coastal and low lying regions across the state have already started to face inundations and sea erosion.
Sea erosion have been reported from the coastal village of Chellanam in Ernakulam district, Ponnani in Malappuram, while inundations are reported from Kuttanad in Alappuzha.
Control room numbers
Many districts have issued warnings to people in the region prone to flooding and landslides. Districts have also issued control room numbers, which can be used by the public to contact district authorities during emergencies. These are the control room numbers for various districts.
Disaster management helpline (Collectorates) - 1077
Thiruvananthapuram
District Collectorate: 0471 2730045, 2730067
District Medical Office: 0471 2475088, 2476088
Kollam
Disaster management authority: 0474 279004
Ernakulam
District control room: 0484 2423512, 7902200300, 9400021077
Malappuram
District emergency operation centre: 0483 2736320, 2736326, 9383464212