Triggered by sustained winds at the tip of the African coast, high swell waves are pounding the coastal areas of the State, causing damage to houses and infrastructure, flooding roads and displacing families.
The coastal communities have been advised to brace themselves for a fresh battering up to Tuesday. A press note issued by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad, said on Sunday that there was a possibility of rough sea and intermittent wave surge along the Kollam, Alappuzha, Kochi, Ponnani, Kozhikode, Kannur, and Kasaragod coasts up to Monday midnight owing to the effect of high-period swell waves. The coastal communities are advised to be cautious until Tuesday evening.
The low-lying areas of Kerala, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and West Bengal are particularly vulnerable to the swell waves. According to the multi-model operational forecasting system at INCOIS, there is a strong indication that high-energy swell waves with a height of 2 to 3 m will occur in the seas around India up to April 24.
T.M. Balakrishnan Nair, scientist, INCOIS, told The Hindu that the swell waves were induced by sustained winds, blocking the Westerlies for more than three days off the tip of the African coast. The high-energy waves generated by the phenomenon travelled more than 2,000 km across the ocean to hit the Indian coast.
Incois has recommended suspension of water-based recreational activity during the events. Fishers are advised to anchor their boats at a distance from each other to avoid damage owing to collision. They have also been warned not to ply vessels near to the coast where the swell wave activity will be more pronounced.
Meanwhile, the coastal regions from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod continued to be battered by waves for the third day on Sunday. Widespread damage to houses and infrastructure was reported. wo relief camps were opened in Alappuzha and Thiruvananthapuram.
Traffic hit
Strong waves wreaked havoc along the coast in Alappuzha on Sunday. Houses were flooded and the raging sea flooded the Thaickal beach road, disrupting traffic. A relief camp is functioning at Ottamassery.
In Thrissur district, a woman who was wading in the sea was reported missing at Munakkal beach, Azhikode, on Sunday. Fishing equipment were washed off at many places and houses were flooded.
