There is no need for panic notwithstanding the extremely heavy rainfall across the State, Revenue Minister K. Rajan has said here on Saturday.
Talking to reporters, he said none of the dams, including the six ones already opened, are in danger of spate. He said that the prediction of a deluge is premature at this point. It helped that rain has intensified in regions where it had petered out in the last couple of days, Mr. Rajan said.
Night travelling along the hill ranges forming part of the Western Ghats should be undertaken only if it was fully safe and with extreme caution though there is no blanket ban on night travelling.
"Six teams of the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed in the State. Round-the-clock control rooms have been opened at the district and taluk centres. Scaremongering on social media will be sternly dealt with by district collectors. People should instead rely on official reports being updated hourly," he said.
Sabarimala devotees have been asked to avoid the dip in Pampa River. Though blue alert has been issued for Idukki dam, it was more of a technical decision as the water level is still not at the level warranting it. However, water on account of landslips in forest areas as part of the catchment area may flow in only a day later though we haven't yet noticed any uprooted trees or muddy waters in the rivers.
Mr. Rajan said that as per the Orange Book published this year about the precautions to be taken in the event of natural disasters, three separate relief camps will be opened for the general public, Covid-19 patients, and those are in quarantine.
Search is on for three out of the four who went missing from the Ponnani shore. The search operations, including aerial survey, by the Navy has been expanded to Kozhikode as well.
Police and fire force are also on high alert while local self-government department has been asked to kept the voluntary teams ready.
