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This story is from October 5, 2018

Rain continues to lash Tamil Nadu, Puducherry; Kerala on alert

Rain continued to lash parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry for the 2nd day on Friday, prompting officials to declare holiday for educational institutions in Tamil Nadu. ​In Kerala, meanwhile, the ​state machinery was put on alert in view of the possibility of heavy rain for the next four days
Rain continues to lash Tamil Nadu, Puducherry; Kerala on alert
Clouds hover in the sky over Marina beach in Chennai(PTI photo)
Key Highlights
  • Kerala government put its state machinery on alert in view of the possibility of heavy to heavy rain in the state for the next four days
  • Navy has put its air and surface assets at Kochi on high alert in view of adverse weather warning issued by India Meteorological Department
CHENNAI/PUDUCHERRY/THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Rain continued to lash parts of Tamil Nadu and neighbouring Puducherry for the second day on Friday, prompting officials to declare holiday for educational institutions in Tamil Nadu.
In Kerala, meanwhile, the state machinery was put on alert in view of the possibility of heavy to heavy rain in the state for the next four days.

Following forecast of extreme heavy rain on Sunday, Tamil Nadu chief minister K Palaniswami held a review meeting at Chennai and issued a series of instructions to officials.
These included asking collectors of coastal districts to take steps for the early return of fishermen who have ventured into the sea, an official release said.
In addition to medical assistance, officials were also instructed to keep ready adequate stocks of food and clothes that might be required in the event of people being evacuated to relief camps, the release said.
Reservoirs with over 70 per cent storage should be monitored, it added.
Following sharp spells of rain in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu, educational institutions were closed, officials said.

Schools remained closed in Chennai, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin, while a holiday was declared for both schools and colleges in the rest of the districts.
Meanwhile, Puducherry received heavy rain and an official said the union territory recorded 9.5cm rainfall in the last 24 hours ending 8.30am.
Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi said the government machinery was geared up to tackle the situation.
The rain is going to enrich the water table, she said.
Residential areas in Oulgaret and neighbouring municipal segments were waterlogged, throwing normal life out of gear.
Government machinery was geared up to meet any exigency, official sources said.
Farm lands were waterlogged and a farmer said the paddy he had raised on a large extent of land was flooded.
Kerala on alert
The Kerala government put its state machinery on alert in view of the possibility of heavy to heavy rain in the state for the next four days under the influence of a low pressure area over the southeast Arabian sea.
According to an India Meteorological Department bulletin, the low pressure is very likely to become more marked during the next 12 hours and concentrate into a depression.
It is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm and move towards Oman Coast thereafter.
The IMD has also issued a red alert for Idukki and Malappuram districts on October 7.
Some parts of the state including Kochi, Thrissur and Malappuram received rain on Friday.
Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said five teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have arrived in the state and they would be deployed in Wayanad, Palakkad, Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Kozhikode.
The shutters of the Neyyar and Aruvikara dams here and Malampuzha dam in Palakkad were lifted on Friday to release water in view of the forecast of heavy rain in the coming days.
Officials also said shutters of the Idukki-Cheruthoni dam, Pamba, Moozhiar and Kakki dams in Pathanamthitta, Banasurasagar dam in Wayanad, Sholayar, Peechi and Chimini dams in Thrissur district would be opened, if necessary, after monitoring the water inflow.
The government has also issued a warning to people living on the banks of rivers including the Pamba and Periyar.
Fishermen have been asked not to venture into the sea for the next few days.
Tourists have been advised not to travel to hill stations, especially Munnar in Idukki and Nelliyampathy in Palakkad districts respectively.
Meanwhile, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said government took the right decision in opening shutters of some dams in view of the low pressure hovering over the southeast Arabian sea.
Chennithala said if the government had taken such a step in August when the state witnessed a deluge, destruction and loss of life could have been avoided.
The state had witnessed the fury of the southwest monsoon in August, the worst in the last 100 years, which claimed 493 lives and left a trail of destruction in several districts.
Navy on full alert
The Navy has put its air and surface assets at Kochi on high alert in view of adverse weather warning issued by India Meteorological Department, a defence spokesman said.
He said a weather alert on the likely formation of low pressure area over South East Arabian sea and area adjoining Lakshadweep islands by Friday, has been issued by the IMD.
The Navy has taken a number of steps for disseminating the information in various languages-- Hindi, English, Malayalam and Tamil-- to the local populace and fishermen.
Based on a request by the fisheries department, the Southern Naval Command has deployed its naval ships and Dornier aircraft deployed off Kerala coast and L&M Islands, to broadcast the weather warning to fishing boats at sea and advise them to return to harbour, he said in a release here.
All out efforts are being made for the safety of local fishermen, he said.
"All naval assets at Kochi, both air as well as surface, are being maintained at high alert to render any assistance to the state administration and local population in case of any contingency caused due to adverse weather," he said.
A strict round the clock watch about the development of weather conditions at sea and a close liaison with state disaster management authority for any development at land is being maintained, he added.
End of Article
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