The heavy rains that have been lashing Kerala for the past one week are likely to continue for the next four days under the combined influence of an offshore trough and cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal. The incessant rain has caused minor landslips and disruption of vehicular service in some parts of Kerala especially in Idukki on Thursday and Friday, prompting the authorities to sound caution in hilly areas, river sides and tourist spots.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has appealed to the people to remain alert and take necessary precautions in view of the heavy rains. In a Facebook post, Mr. Vijayan said in view of the heavy rains, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams were deployed in Idukki, Kozhikode and Wayanad districts. The administration has also kept two teams of Civil Defence Academy ready to move in case of any emergency.
Relief camps ready
Already five emergency relief camps have been opened in areas prone to flooding and coastal erosion, accommodating 69 inmates. Further, officials from various departments have been asked to remain alert and take the necessary precautions. According to an advisory forecast issued by the Central Water Commission (CWC), the water level in major rivers in Kadalundi (Malappuram), Bhratapuzha (Palakkad), Vamanapuram and Karamana (Thiruvananthapuram), Kallada (Kollam), and Thodupuzha (Idukki), has steadily been increasing.
A red alert has been issued in the Lower Periyar and Kallarkutty reservoirs, while an orange alert has been declared in the Poringalkuthu and Kuttiyadi reservoirs. In addition, widespread destruction was also reported in Northern Kerala, which has been witnessing continuous heavy downpour since July 3. A weather bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded a yellow alert warning of isolated heavy rains across the state except, Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathnamthitta on Saturday.
Rain likely to continue till Tuesday
According to the IMD, the heavy rain is likely to continue till Tuesday under the combined influence of a cyclonic circulation over southwest Rajasthan and neighbourhood in lower tropospheric levels, and an active monsoon trough coupled with the off-shore trough at mean sea level that runs from south Gujarat coast to Karnataka coast. Another cyclonic circulation also lies over northwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal off south Odisha north Andhra Pradesh Coasts in lower and mid tropospheric levels tilting southwestwards with height.
Meanwhile, the rain deficit in Kerala was wiped out due to the heavy rains in the last one week. The state which witnessed 48% deficient rains in June has now recorded a normal rainfall of 1,718.8 mm as of July 9, against the long period average of 2,049.2 mm during the same period, showing a departure of 16 per cent. As per the IMD parlance, a departure of plus/minus 19% is considered as ‘normal’ rainfall.
