As Kerala prepares for heavy rains, CM Vijayan directs officials to take extreme caution

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday said that heavy rains were expected in the southern districts of Kerala including Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam. CM Vijayan has alerted officials concerned to take extreme caution in areas like river banks, hilly areas and tourist places given the weather condition notified by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

The IMD has issued an orange alert for six districts in Kerala for Saturday, November 13. It alerted about the potential of light to moderate rainfall at several places along with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in Kerala during the next three days.

"As part of westerly winds getting stronger, heavy rains are expected in southern districts of Kerala including Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam," CM Vijayan said in a statement.

Expecting the likelihood of a flood-like situation, CM Vijayan affirmed that reliefs camps will be set up in landslide and flood-prone areas. "Also, I have directed to take extreme caution in river banks, hilly areas, and in tourist places as heavy rainfall is expected in the coming hours," stated CM Vijayan.

Cyclonic circulation over Gulf of Thailand causes rain in Kerala

As per reports, a fresh formation of pressure in the Andaman Sea over the Bay of Bengal is likely to form in the next 12 hours. It is expected to reach the Bay of Bengal by November 15 and gain strength as a severe low pressure. The IMD had earlier predicted that many parts of Kerala would receive heavy to very heavy rain due to cyclonic circulation over the Gulf of Thailand and the neighbouring region. The weather watchdog has also predicted heavy rainfall at isolated places over Tamil Nadu, Karaikal and Puducherry, and south interior Karnataka from November 13 to 17.

Moreover, the Central Meteorological department has forecast normal rainfall over the next two weeks (November 12-23), especially in central and southern Kerala.

IMD sounds 'Orange, Yellow Alerts' for Kerala

The Central Meteorological Department on Saturday issued an orange alert for Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, and Idukki districts. It has also sounded yellow alerts for Ernakulam, Thrissur, Pallakad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod districts for Sunday, November 14.

Gauging the possibility of thundershowers in hilly areas in the state and in the wake of the orange and yellow alerts issued by the IMD, CM Vijayan pressed on the need to be 'more cautious' in such regions.

Earlier in the day, owing to perpetual rains multiple reports of landslides were reported between sections of Neyyatinkara and Parassala. Such incidents were also witnessed between sections of Eraniel and Kulithurai. Cases of waterlogging were also reported between Nagercoil Junction and Kanniyakumari section. In view of the safety of passengers, two trains were cancelled completely while 10 others were partially cancelled in the region.

(With Inputs from ANI)

Image: PTI