Highlights
- Schools, colleges, educational institutions in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram will remain shut tom
- The decision comes in wake of a red alert issued for the district for high rainfall activity
- The IMD also issued red alert for above 7 districts for Aug 2 as well as orange alert for 4 dists
Kerala weather update: Schools, colleges and other educational institutions in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram will remain shut tomorrow, district collector Geromic George said on Monday. The decision comes in wake of a red alert issued for the district for high rainfall activity.
However, despite institutions being closed, exams will be held on schedule, George said. The Indian Meteorological department had issued a red alert for the district among many others as heavy rains continued to lash the state. The weather office warned that Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Idukki districts will also receive heavy rains, and issued a red alert.
CM Pinarayi Vijayan has called a meeting of the District Collectors to assess rain damage and coordinate relief work, a release issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said.
The CM has asked people to be very careful, not go into rivers, water bodies, streams etc. to bathe, wash clothes or bathe animals, avoid night travel as much as possible and be ready to strictly follow the warnings given by the Disaster Management Authority, the release said.
The police, fire brigade and other government agencies have been instructed to be alert, fishermen have been advised not to go into the sea under any circumstances and people living in areas prone to landslides have been asked to evacuate and move to relief camps, it said.
Orange alerts issued as well
Besides the red alerts, the IMD also issued orange alerts in Thrissur and Malappuram districts and yellow alerts in the remaining districts of the state for the day.
The IMD also issued red alert for the above 7 districts for August 2 as well as orange alert for 4 districts on that day.
Earlier in the day, three members of a family died after the car they were travelling in skidded off the road and fell into a nearby stream swollen with rainwater while trying to overtake a bus near Vennikulam in Pathanamthitta district of the state. Chandi Mathew, his wife and daughter drowned in the stream by the time locals could rescue them, police said.
The accident occurred at around 7 AM, when the car they were travelling in skidded off the wet road while trying to overtake a bus and fell into the nearby stream whose water levels had risen considerably due to the heavy rains, police said.
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