NILAMBUR: The government will ensure all necessary assistance for the families who lost their loved ones in the flash flood in Nilambur, Chief Minister V D Satheesan said on Monday. A final decision on the financial aid will be taken at the next cabinet meeting, he told reporters after visiting the site of the disaster and meeting victims’ families.
“The fact that the accident occurred without prior warning of major landslides or similar hazards adds to the gravity of the situation,” Satheesan said. He said the search will continue until the last missing person was found.
Accompanied by Ministers P K Kunhalikutty, A P Anil Kumar and P K Basheer, Satheesan visited the homes of the flash flood victims in Vandoor. He first went to the house of Rafeeq, an autorickshaw driver from Chettiyarammal around 5.45 pm, and consoled his elderly parents and three children. He later visited the house of Sajad and met his family members and relatives.
Strict watch at unofficial tourist spots: CM
Strict safety regulations would be imposed at unofficial tourist spots across the state and urgent measures taken to prevent accidents in these areas, which see a rush of visitors after gaining popularity on social media, the chief minister said.
Satheesan also said the government would establish a system to forecast localised weather changes and extremely heavy rainfall within a radius of 20 to 25 km, in addition to warnings issued by the India Meteorological Department.
“The government aims to implement the country’s best disaster management model within the state. Technical cooperation from research institutions like CUSAT, voluntary organisations and the Union government will be leveraged for this,” he said. Satheesan said a strict protocol would be formulated to ensure coordination in interpreting weather forecasts, issuing timely warnings and relocating people to safe areas when necessary.
“Disaster vulnerability varies by district. Therefore, a district-specific disaster management system needs to be established, taking into account the unique conditions of each district,” he said, adding that steps had been initiated to make disaster management operations more scientific and efficient in view of the increasing frequency of extreme weather events such as cloudbursts.
