The government has enforced curbs on entry of tourists and heavy vehicles into the higher reaches of Idukki in view of the possibility of landslips and stranding of tourists, including foreigners, at a private resort at Pallivasal in the rain-ravaged district on Friday.
The tourists, including foreigners, who had been held up in the resort after an approach road caved in were shifted with the assistance of Army personnel. Officials rushed to the spot and Director of Tourism P. Bala Kiran spoke to the tourists to allay their fears.
All tourists were shifted to a safer place by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Minister for Tourism, Kadakampally Surendran said.
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A four-member Russian family was the first to be shifted by creating a parallel path by the rescue team and they proceeded to Kumarakom. Later, two US tourists were shifted and they proceeded to Maramon in Pathanamthitta.
The Minister said the government had earlier asked the resort functioning illegally to close down and it was working on the basis of court order.
“Tourists now in Idukki, who need any help, should contact the district authorities or Kerala Tourism. There’s no reason to panic, instead be cautious and avoid ecologically fragile places,” he said.
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US alerts
Meanwhile, the US has asked its citizens to “avoid all areas throughout Kerala affected by landslides and flashfloods”. In the weather alert issued by the US State Department (Consular Affairs) through its Embassy in New Delhi and Consulates, in Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Kolkotta, the US citizens already in Kerala have been asked to be “fully aware of the surroundings and to monitor local media for weather updates.”
“Have evacuation plans that do not rely on US government assistance,” says the alert in the action to be taken by the citizens. Heavy southwest monsoon continues throughout the State triggering landslides and flashfloods, the weather alert says.