Kallakkadal : Red alert along south TN coasts

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Central agencies have issued a red alert for ‘Kallakkadal’, warning of sudden sea swells causing rough waves in coastal areas of south Tamil Nadu and Kerala on Saturday and Sunday.

This marks the first time a red alert has been issued for the phenomenon of ‘Kallakkadal’ -- the sudden swell of the seas causing rough waves -- by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in this part of the country, officials here said.

The officials have urged fishermen and coastal residents to take necessary precautions in response to the alert.

“Red alert for swell surge warning has been received from NDMA-INCOIS,” a Kerala Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) official said.

The coastal areas of southern Tamil Nadu are likely to experience the ‘kallakkadal’ phenomenon from 2.30 am on Saturday to 11.30 pm on Sunday, weather agencies said. There is a possibility of extremely strong waves, rough seas and sea incursion during this period. The officials, however, said it was not a tsunami-like phenomenon.

Earlier in the day, the INCOIS, the central agency that issues weather warnings for fishermen, had said there is a possibility of rough seas due to high waves of 0.5 to 1.5 metres during this period and advised people to safely moor their fishing vessels in the harbour. The agencies also advised people to avoid trips to the beach and completely stay away from activities at sea.

The term ‘kallakkadal’ literally means a sea that comes suddenly like a thief.