Thiruvananthapuram district administration prepared for Cyclone Burevi

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], December 2 (ANI): Thiruvananthapuram district authorities have launched their preparations in the wake of Cyclone Burevi warning issued for South Tamil Nadu and Kerala coasts.

Emergency relief operations have been launched in the district, following warnings from the Meteorological Department that the low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal could turn into a cyclone.

All the disaster management units in the district are fully operational after completing the preparations. The manpower and logistics assistance of the Army, Navy, Air Force and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been ensured to deal with emergencies.

A red alert has been issued in the district for December 3. An orange alert has been issued for December 2 and 4. A meeting of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) was convened at the Collectorate Conference Hall to coordinate disaster management activities.

The Revenue and Local Self Government Departments have started preparations to evacuate people in case of emergency. A detailed list of places and institutions where relief camps should be started was prepared. The list of relief camps has been prepared excluding the institutions designated as polling stations in the context of local elections.

Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), Kerala Water Authority (KWA) and Civil Supplies Departments have been directed to supply electricity, water and food items to the camps if they need to be opened.

The Department of Hydrology has been directed to monitor the water levels in the major rivers of the district immediately in view of the possibility of floods in the wake of heavy rains. Currently, the water level in the rivers is checked at 8 am, 12 noon and 4 pm. Apart from this, the water level in Neyyar, Killiyar and Karamanayar rivers will be checked at 4 pm and 8 pm for the next three days.

In view of the forecast of heavy rains, it was directed to release maximum water from the major dams in the district. Dams must be opened with the necessary warnings. The government also directed to avoid situations to open dams at night.

Revenue, police and local government authorities have laid special attention to 48 villages in the district in the wake of the cyclone.

A special team of the Revenue Department started monitoring these places. Activities will be coordinated at the district level under tehsildars. Taluk-based control rooms are also open for 24 hours.

District Collector Nvjot Khosa has directed a complete ban on going to see from the coastal areas of the district till further notice as there is a possibility of sea turbulence in the wake of the cyclone. Those who are currently fishing should reach the nearest safe shore, the authorities insisted.

Representatives of Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Deputy Collector of Disaster Management Authority, ADM, District Police Chief and heads of various departments attended the meeting held at Thiruvananthapuram district collectorate.

Cyclone Burevi is most likely to hit South Tamil Nadu on December 4, the India Meteorological Department said on Tuesday.

"The deep depression intensified at adjoining the southeast Bay of Bengal into Cyclone storm Burevi at 17:30 hours and lay centred about 400 kilometres of east-southeast Trincomalee. It will cross the Sri Lanka coast close to Trincomalee on December 2 during evening/night and cross south Tamil Nadu between Kanniyakumari and Pamban on the early morning of December 4, India Meteorological Department (IMD), tweeted. (ANI)