Kerala puts 43 villages on Burevi alert
TRIVANDRUM: The disaster management authorities in Kerala have put 43 villages in four southern districts on high alert ahead of the Cyclone Burevi’s landfall amid COVID-19 pandemic.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had talked to him and reviewed the preparedness to handle the crisis in all districts.
“All government departments have been directed to do preparations on a war footing,” he told reporters here on Tuesday.
“We will get to know more about the impact of the cyclone in the coming hours. We are preparing to handle the situation.”
He said the authorities had identified 2,849 places to open camps and 690 people from 170 families had been shited to 13 locations so far.
The COVID-19 patients and those under observation or quarantine are being separated from the rest.
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) asked people in the vulnerable villages to be prepared for moving into camps if needed.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) regional office here said the cyclonic storm had moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 18kph.
It is very likely to intensify further during the next 12 hours and cross Sri Lanka coast to the north of Trincomalee with a wind speed of 8090kph gusting to 100kph.
Ater that, it could emerge into the Gulf of Mannar and adjoining Comorin area on Thursday morning.
It would then move nearly west-southwestwards very close to the coast slowly and cross south Tamil Nadu between Kanyakumari and Pamban by night and early morning.
The IMD predicts squally wind speed reaching 45-55kph gusting to 65kph along and off Trivandrum, Kollam, Pathanamthita and Alappuzha districts.
“It will be rough to very rough over Comorin
Area, Gulf of Mannar, along with and off south Tamil Nadu, Kerala and west Sri Lanka coast,” it said.
It said heavy rains and winds could damage thatched huts, power and communication lines, roads, paddy crops and bananas, papaya and orchards plantations.
It warned of seawater inundation in low-lying areas ater the erosion of embankments and suggested total suspension of fishing operation until Saturday.