The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert in four districts, which are Kozhikode, Wayanad, Idukki and Malappuram.
Kerala
Flood : A year after the state went through the worst flood
in a century, Kerala is experiencing another serious flood situation,
with many places inundated and landslides killing several in the
Wayanadu district.
The
Cochin International Airport has closed operations from Thursday
night and has been announced to be shut till Sunday 3 pm.
The
state government has announced the opening of 315 flood
relief camps across the state, moving around 22,165 people from
5,936 families in the state till Friday morning. Wayanad has the most
number of camps at 105, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The
shutters of more than 12 dams were opened till Thursday night and the
State Disaster Management Authority has said that water has been
rising fast in these reservoirs.
Local
reports said that at Meppadi in Wayanad, a huge landslide, reportedly
carrying away almost 100 acres, has devastated the neighbouring
locations and the number of people trapped under the debris is not
known. Bridges and roads have also been washed away, blocking the
rescue operations. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and
Defence Security Core, along with local authorities, have been
deployed for the rescue there.
State
authorities are forecasting heavy rainfall, with wind speed reaching
40-50 kmph, to occur at one or two places in the Thiruvananthapuram,
Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam and
Thrissur districts.
High
waves in the range of 3.2-3.7 meters are forecasted till 11.30 pm on
Saturday along the coast of Kerala from Pozhiyoor in the south to
Kasargod in the north, said the Chief Minister's Office, advising
fishermen not to venture into these areas during this period.
