New Delhi, August 9: A holiday is announced for all educational institutions on August 9 in eleven districts of Kerala after ‘red alert’ has been sounded in several districts of the state where heavy rains, gusty winds and widespread landslips have wreaked havoc in several areas. District authorities of Kottayam, Idukki, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Kannur, Wayand and Malappuram have declared holiday for all educational institutions comprising professional colleges and Anganwadis.
University exams delayed
Kerala University, Kannur University, Calicut University, MG University and Health University have also postponed their exams. A daily regional has reported that Kerala Public Service Commission (Kerala PSC) has also rescheduled all examinations scheduled for August 9 to 30, 2019. Scheduled to be held on Friday and Saturday in Palakkad, Wayanad, Ernakulam and Idukki districts, All India Trade Test (AITT) is also postponed.
Flood-like situation
Media has reported that water level is rising in most of the rivers and dams across the state after intensification of the second spell of the south-west monsoon. Districts including Kannur, Wayanad, Idukki, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kasaragod are facing a flood-like situation.
Rains inundating low-lying areas
Wayanad, Kozhikode and Malappuram districts have been lashed by torrential rains with rivers overflowing, flooding many low-lying areas. Major rivers like Manimala, Meenachal, Moovattupuzha, Chaliyar, Valapattanam, Iruvazjinjpuzha and Pamba are in spate.
Media officials informed that as many as eight people, including a one-year-old child, were killed. More than 3,000 people were evacuated to over 60 relief camps after rains hit several parts of the state.
Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Wayanad, Kasargode and Idukki districts were the most terribly affected areas, said State Revenue Minister E. Chandrashekeran. “Three NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) teams have been deployed in Malappuram, Wayanad and Idukki. We have requested 10 more teams,” he told the media.
In the meantime, heavy rains in Kerala have been predicted till August 14 by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).
“Heavy rain has increased across most of Northern Kerala. The main threat will be across Nilambur and Wayanad. Red alerts have been issued for four districts. We are keeping a close eye on the situation,” Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has tweeted.