The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has declared yellow alert for seven districts – Ernakulam, Idukki, Kozhikode, Palakkad, Wayanad, Malappuram and Pathanamthitta – till September 30.
In a Facebook post on its official page, KSDMA posted that yellow alert is being declared for Ernakulam, Idukki, Kozhikode, Palakkad and Wayanad for September 28 (Friday), Idukki, Palakkad and Malappuram for September 29 (Saturday) and Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Malappuram and Kozhikode for September 30 (Sunday).
“There is a chance for heavy rainfall (64.4 mm to 124.4 mm). Prepare to face emergency situations. Till the alert is withdrawn, be alert and careful,” said the Facebook post in Malayalam.
This comes after the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday announced that heavy rains are predicted in five districts of the state on September 25 and 26.
According to a report in Times of India, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has issued a warning indicating the possibility of rough seas with high swell waves and spring tides on the Kerala coast.
Sekhar Kuriakose, the Head Scientist in the State Emergency Operations Centre of KSDMA requested people to avoid travelling in the landslide-prone areas between 7 pm and 7 am and to avoid visiting flood prone areas and swimming in rivers. Experts have also warned the people to be careful about sea surges that can happen near the coast due to the weather.
A Yellow alert is generally issued as a warning and asks people to be prepared for severe weather conditions. People in emergency can contact the district emergency operations centre number, 1077.
INCOIS, KSDMA and the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) have also warned fishermen and the coastal population to be cautious about the high tides. The IMD has issued a warning asking people to not venture into the sea and to suspend all water-based recreational activities in the region. The warning issued by IMD is applicable till 11.30 pm on September 28 (Friday).