The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) has issued an alert to all district collectors in the wake of a Met Department forecast that many parts of the state will receive heavy to very heavy rainfall - as much as 13 cm - till Friday.
“Based on the Met Department’s forecast, we have prepared a detailed list of areas which are prone to landslides and flood. Maps of all hazard-prone areas have also been sent to all district collectors,” Sekhar L Kuriakose, Head of the Hazard Vulnerability Risk Assessment Cell of the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority told Express.
According to the Met Department, heavy to very heavy rainfall will occur at isolated places in Kerala and heavy rainfall will occur at isolated places in Lakshadweep till Friday. Strong onshore winds from westerly direction with speed occasionally reaching 45-55 kmph is likely to lash along off Kerala coast and over Lakshadweep, the Met Department said.
According to disaster management officials, the number of fatalities in rain-realated incidents has touched 116 with four deaths being reported on Wednesday. Among the deaths, one each were reported from Thiruvananthapuram, Idukki, Palakkad and Kannur. In Thiruvananthapuram, a 60-year-old man was killed when a huge banyan tree fell over a shop. Two others were also injured in the incident.Two more were injured during rescue operations.
With incessant rains lashing the state, the total storage in hydel reservoirs of the state has touched a five year high.