Aug. 1, 2022, 9:10 p.m.

Rain is gaining strength in the state and the Indian Meteorological department has predicted heavy intensity rains in the next four days starting from Tuesday, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The state government has switched to action mode putting all the preventive mechanisms in place. 

Six deaths had been reported in the state. As many as five houses were completely damaged and 55 houses, partially. The heavy intensity rain is predicted from Monday evening to Tuesday in South Kerala and central Kerala which would thereafter expand to the Northern side. Red alert has been declared in seven districts on Monday and Tuesday--Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Idukki and Ernakulam. We are expecting more than 200 metre rainfall in the next 24 hours. said CM. 

The state had already started preventive measures against the monsoon havoc since March. Mock drill was conducted with the participation of all districts on March 14 and 15. The chief secretary had convened a meeting of all the government departments on May 14. The precautionary measures were reviewed in an official level meeting held on May 16. Following this, district disaster management meetings had been held in each district and  convened pre-monsoon preparation meeting as well. The Orange book was renewed on May 25 and was asked to implement it strictly. 

One crore rupees has been allotted to each district for monsoon preparation. The state emergency operation centre of the state disaster management authority has been set up to function as the state control room. The control room comprises of members from NDRF, state level rescue forces and other departments. Besides, control room will be opened in all districts and in taluk-level. The measures have been started to shift people from low lying areas and those staying in landslide prone regions. 

As many as four teams of NDRF have been put in place in Idukki, Kozhikode, Wayanad and Thrissur. Four more NDRF teams will soon join at Ernakulam, Kottayam, Kollam and Malappuram. The water from the 17 dams under the irrigation department is being discharged. At present, there is no need to drain away water from the major dams under the KSEB. The water from the minor dams--Kallarkutty, Ponmudi, Lower Periyar, Moozhiyar and Peringalkooth had already been discharged. The water level condition in our major dams has been reviewed by the dam management committee and there is no need to alarm as of now. 

The police force has also been geared up to face any eventuality. The district police chief will maintain hotline communication with the district collector and district disaster management authority. JCB, boats and other life saving equipment will be set ready at police stations. ADGP M R Ajith Kumar has been appointed as the nodal officer in charge of deploying cops. ADGP Vijay S Sakhare is the nodal officer to take care of disaster management activities. 

Already seven camps have been opened in the state-Kollam-1, Pathanamthitta-1, Idukki-1, Kottayam-2, Thrissur-1 and Wayanad-1. As many as 90 people have been shifted to these camps. 

A 24x7 functioning control room has started functioning at the office of the revenue minister in the secretariat (mobile number: 8078548538). All local bodies have been alerted to commence control rooms within 24 hours of time. The district collector can declare holiday for the educational institutions considering the local situation. I am expressing my deep condolences to the kin of the father and two daughters who died near Thiruvalla after their car fell off in the rivulet.