An orange alert was issued for three districts, including Thiruvananthapuram (file)
Thiruvananthapuram:
With heavy rains forecast in Kerala between December 2-3 under the influence of a depression in the Bay of Bengal, a red alert was issued for four southern districts, as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan urged people to be extremely alert.
A red alert, indicating heavy to very heavy rains of more than 20 cm in 24 hours, was issued for the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathnamthitta and Alappuzha on December 3, while the orange alert (rainfall of 6 cm to 20 cm) for Kottayam, Ernakulam and Idukki Districts on the same day.
An orange alert was issued for three districts, including Thiruvananthapuram, on December 2 and a yellow alert (6-11 cm) for three other districts, including Alappuzha and Ernakulam.
An IMD forecast said that a depression formed over the Bay of Bengal on Monday would likely intensify into a deep depression and progress as a cyclonic storm, after which the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) issued red alerts. for the four southern districts.
Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are likely to occur in one or two locations over the Kerala and Lakshadweep area from November to December 4, the meteorological department said.
High waves in the range of 2-3.5 meters have been forecast from 2.30pm on December 2 to 11.30pm on December 4 along the Kerala coast from Vizhinjam to Kasaragod.
The chief minister, while asking people to be extremely vigilant, said that aid camps would be set up from Thiruvananthapuram to the Ernakulam districts, he said.
The Navy and Coast Guard have been requested to keep their ships ready some 30 nautical miles off the coast of Kerala and the Air Force, to keep their aircraft ready for any rescue operations.
Seven additional NDRF teams have been searched at the center, Vijayan told reporters.
Following the forecast of heavy rains, there are chances for low-lying areas to flood and landslides in mountainous areas, he said.
Fishermen have been asked not to go out to sea since midnight tonight.
With the two-month pilgrimage season at Lord Ayyappa’s Hill Shrine in Sabarimala, authorities have been asked to be extremely vigilant, Vijayan said.
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