Cyclone Burevi: Kerala takes steps on a war footing

Though cyclone Burevi will lose its steam when it enters Kerala, the state government is not ready to take the weather system for granted.

Fishermen at Poonthura coast in Thiruvananthapuram shift their boats to a safe zone. (Photo | B P Deepu, EPS)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Though cyclone Burevi will lose its steam when it enters Kerala, the state government is not ready to take the weather system for granted.It has made all arrangements to avoid damage to property and casuality. Addressing the evening presser, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said he had briefed about the cyclone preparedness of Kerala to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and he extended all possible help to the state for its cyclone preparedness.

Major measures

• Police, fire and rescue services and civil defence forces deployed in vulnerable areas.
• Eight teams of NDRF deployed in eight districts from T’Puram to Ernakulam
• Service of choppers and fixed wing aircraft to be ensured in case of emergency
• Special instruction given to ensure safety of power lines, dams and Sabarimala pilgrims
• Telecom operators told to make ready communication on wheels facility and ensure diesel generators in mobile phone towers
• Cabinet secretary holds a review meeting of various departments to review cyclone preparedness
• Parties told to remove hoard-ings set up dangerously as part of LSG poll
• Seven ministers assigned to coordinate cyclone preparedness of district administrations
• Health department director and medical education director directed to ensure medicines and treatment facilities in all hospitals
• All hospitals to function adhering to Covid protocol
• All hospital managements told to arrange facilities in casuality wing, even anticipating mass casuality
• Services of 108 ambulances made available in vulnerable areas
• 24-hour control rooms set up at district emergency operations centres apart from taluk-level control rooms