Heavy rain slammed several parts of Kerala today as five districts were put on red alert and seven districts on orange alert on Saturday.
At the request of the Kerala Government, the Army and Air Force have stepped in. Helicopters are on standby and all bases under Southern Air Command are on high alert. The Army has deployed its personnel in flood-affected areas. An Army column comprising about 30 personnel has moved to Kanjirappalliin Kottayam district from Pangode military station.
According to the latest updates on the situation, 12 people are missing in this area.
Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur are the districts that have been put on red alert. In seven districts of the state – Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, and Wayanad – the weather office has sounded an "orange alert", which signifies "heavy to very heavy rain". Two districts have been put on yellow alert, stated reports.
The Chief Minister's office has sent out a cautionary note, urging people to be extremely careful and avoid venturing out for travels into the mountains or near rivers.
The weather office said in a statement, "Under the influence of the low-pressure area over Southeast Arabian Sea off Kerala coast, the state is expected to receive isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall with isolated extremely heavy falls till the morning of October 17 (Sunday). Isolated heavy rainfall is expected on 18th (Monday) and a further reduction in rainfall from 19th morning (Tuesday)."
Warning the fishermen, it further said, "Squally weather with wind speed reaching 40-50 Kmph gusting 60 Kmph is likely to prevail over Kerala coast. Fishermen are advised not to venture into these sea areas" today and tomorrow.
