Eight National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams will be deployed across Kerala as part of preparedness measures ahead of the expected monsoon rains next week, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) said on Wednesday.
According to the KSDMA, NDRF teams will be stationed in Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Wayanad districts.
Each team will comprise 30 rescuers and will be equipped with search and rescue equipment, communication devices and personal protective gear to respond effectively during emergencies, the authority said.
The teams have been deployed on the request of the KSDMA Member secretary, it added.
It further said that a 24x7 control room will operate at the NDRF base in Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu, to closely monitor the situation.
Besides that, all necessary efforts are being undertaken by the NDRF in close coordination with the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), Kerala, to monitor weather updates and ensure prompt response in case of any emergency, KSDMA said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday had said that the southwest monsoon was likely to arrive in Kerala around May 26.
It had also said the arrival of the monsoon could vary by four days, either before or after May 26.
(With inputs from PTI)