THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government has prepared around 6,300 relief camps across the state anticipating a third consecutive flood in the wake of the low pressure that has developed over Bay of Bengal. The first low pressure in the month of August formed over North Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood on Tuesday morning. The cyclonic circulation associated with the system is moving southwards bringing more rain to southern states. As per the current weather models issued by the India Meteorological Department, Mumbai is experiencing heavy rain due to the influence of the low pressure system.
But the southward moving system will bring copious rain in Kerala by this weekend and another system which is developing over North Bay of Bengal, is expected to intensify into a low-pressure area by Saturday. According to the Disaster Management Authority, which is coordinating the ground-level disaster preparedness in the state, though heavy rain is expected in Kozhikode and Wayanad on Thursday, the state would really be witnessing intense extreme heavy rainfall events by Saturday. “North Kerala and some districts in central Kerala are expected to get over 20 cm rain in 24 hours during the weekend. The extreme rain in Idukki will have a direct bearing on the flood situation in Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Kottayam districts.
The situation in Malappuram and Idukki would be crucial when rain starts pounding the state. Already four National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been pre-positioned in north and central Kerala. Further, the KSDMA has demanded six more teams to take on monsoon calamities,” said a senior officer from the KSDMA.
Emergency response meetings have been convened in each local body to assess the preparedness. Officials believe the heavy rain in north Kerala will not create any flood-like situation as these districts used to witness heavy rain during the south west monsoon period. But in central Kerala, the heavy extreme rainfall events In Idukki alone are potential enough to create flash floods, said officials.The weather models issued by the India Meteorological Department had sounded orange alert in north Kerala and Idukki on Wednesday.