The government stepped up the warning for coastal communities in the State as the low pressure zone which originated in the Indian Ocean concentrated into a depression over the south east Arabian sea and lay centred about 350 km off the coast of Thiruvananthapuram.
The India Met Department expects the system to further intensify into a deep depression over the next 48 hours, triggering rain with isolated heavy falls over Kerala. By 11.30 a.m. on Tuesday, the system had moved north-northwestwards and was located about 420 km southeast of Minicoy, 350 km south-southwest of Thiruvananthapuram and 290 km east-northeast of the Maldives.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said a team from the National Disaster Response Force would be moved to Thrissur to assist the State authorities in emergency response. The Navy has also been requested to be on standby.
A meeting of the executive committee of the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) decided to extend the alert for coastal communities till March 15 in view of the evolving situation.
The SDMA has directed officials to ensure total suspension of fishing operations till Thursday, as the IMD has forecast rough to very rough conditions at sea with wind speed up to 65 kmph and waves up to 3.8 m above normal.
The meeting, chaired by Chief Secretary Paul Antony, directed District Collectors to arrange relief camps for relocation of families from vulnerable areas of the coast.
Authorities have been asked to raise warning signal 3 at all ports and harbours and the KSEB has been asked to be on alert for emergencies. Control rooms in coastal taluks will function till Thursday.
A weather bulletin issued by the IMD said squally winds with speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting up to 65 kmph were likely over the Comorin area, south Tamil Nadu and south Kerala coast in the next 24 hours. The Lakshdweep area is likely to experience wind speed of 55- 65 kmph gusting up to 75 kmph over the next 48 hours.
Fishermen are advised not to venture out to sea off south Kerala and south Tamil Nadu coasts, the Comorin-Maldives area, equatorial Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar, Lakshadweep area and southeast Arabian Sea till Thursday.
