With heavy rainfall likely to lash the State till Monday, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has directed district administrations to be on red alert readiness.
This would be applicable to districts which were on yellow alert as well, the KSDMA said in a special bulletin. District administrations have been asked to evacuate people residing in mudslip and flood-prone regions to safer locations. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that Kerala and Mahe can expect isolated very heavy rainfall till Monday.
An orange alert has been issued for Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki and Kasaragod on Sunday. These districts can expect isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall. The remaining districts are on yellow alert for isolated heavy rainfall. Several central and northern districts are on yellow alert on Monday also.
Localised flooding of roads, mudslips, waterlogging in low-lying areas, minor damage to roads and possible damage to vulnerable structures should be expected, the IMD said.
Fishing has been banned till Sunday as strong winds are likely to prevail along the Kerala coast, and over Lakshadweep, Maldives and the southeast parts of the Arabian Sea.
Rainfall has intensified over the State under the influence of westerlies. Strong surface winds persists over southeast Arabian Sea, Kerala coast and Lakshadweep- Maldives- Kanyakumari areas. This is likely to persist during the next two days, the IMD said.
The KSDMA cited forecasts by the forecasts by various agencies, including the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, which predicted very heavy rainfall till Monday in parts of the State.
Meanwhile, a fresh low pressure area has formed over the south Andaman Sea, but its influence is not yet felt in Kerala. The low pressure system is likely to move west-northwestwards in the days ahead, concentrate into a depression and intensify further as it approaches the Andhra Pradesh coast around November 18.
