THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Heavy to very heavy rainfall continued to cause widespread damage to life and property in Kerala for the second consecutive day. Six persons died in rain related incidents on Tuesday taking the death toll to 12. Two persons including a two-and-halfyear-old girl were washed away following a landslide in Kannur district. Three persons were reported missing in separate incidents.
Relief camps have been opened by the revenue department in various districts to accommodate people being evacuated from rain and landslide hit areas. The Met Department has sounded a red alert for 10 districts from Alappuzha to Kannur. Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad and Kannur districts. According to Met experts the state will receive widespread rainfall and extremely heavy rainfall for the next 72 hours.
The met department has already issued a red colour warning for Kerala for the next three days. Landslides and flash floods are likely to occur in many parts of the state during this period. However, the rainfall will start reducing from August 5 when it will move towards the Konkan area and further to Telangana.
The Monsoon has been very active over Kerala Karnataka and Lakshadweep this time. Over 1,000 people have been shifted to safer places in 50 relief camps opened in the state. The dams in the state are on high alert. A red alert has been sounded in seven dams after the water level rose due to heavy rains.
A red alert has been sounded in Idukki Ponmudi, Kallarkutty, Thiruvayar, Lower Periyar, Moozhiyar, Kundala and Pengalkoothu dams. Besides, an orange alert has also been sounded in Mangalam and Meengara dams. The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) officials said there is no need for panic at this stage in the wake of rising water levels in reservoirs of large dams.
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