District Collector A. Alexander on Monday issued a mandatory emergency evacuation order for people in Kuttanad and Upper Kuttanad areas. The order was issued under various sections of the Disaster Management Act 2005.
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Officials said the people would be shifted to centres in Ambalappuzha and Changanassery in the night itself. The decision to evacuate people was taken at a high-level meeting attended by Revenue Minister K. Rajan, Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian and Agriculture Minister P. Prasad at the District Collectorate here.
Officials said the evacuation was a precautionary measure. Mr. Alexander, who is also the chairman of the District Disaster Management Authority, said the water level in Kuttanad taluk was expected to rise further following the opening of the shutters of the Kakki dam in Pathanamthitta. He said that there was a possibility of the opening of the sluice gates of the Pampa dam on Tuesday.
Officials said that passenger boats of the State Water Transport Department, buses of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, fishing boats and private vehicles had been deployed for evacuating people.
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Police and Fire and Rescue Services personnel, 23 fishermen teams and two teams of National Disaster Response Force have been put on stand by to meet any exigency.