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Kerala: Govt deploys NDRF units in four districts

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government has deployed units of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in four districts -- Ernakulam , Alappuzha , Kollam and Pathanamthitta -- in the wake of the continuing heavy rains.

In addition, the state has also sought the services of five more NDRF units for deployment in other districts where the rains are continuing and alert has been sounded.



District collectors of Alappuzha, Ernakulam Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram have declared holidays for educational institutions in the districts for Tuesday in view of rain. MG University has postponed all examinations scheduled for Tuesday.

The executive committee of state disaster management department chaired by chief secretary Tom Jose has decided to keep the state emergency operations centre fully ready for facing any kind of situation in the wake of predictions of extremely heavy rains.

The meeting also evaluated the situation in the state in the wake of heavy rains. The meeting was also attended by additional chief secretary (home) Vishwas Mehta, secretary (water resources and power) B Ashok and secretary (health and family welfare) Rajan Khobragade, along with other senior officials of disaster management and meteorological departments.

Member secretary of disaster management department informed the meeting that the department has requested the Indian Navy, coast guard and Indian Air Force to stay on high alert, in case of an emergency and the services of such bodies are required.

The government has opened 17 relief camps across the state -- Ernakulam (11), Kollam (3), Kottayam (1), Alappuzha (1), Palakkad (1) -- to house 2,809 people from 1,232 families. Four houses were fully damaged in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam while 30 were partially damaged in the state

The disaster management authority has also asked all district disaster management officials to open control rooms and remain on high alert round-the-clock. The district collectors have been asked to open relief camps wherever is required.

The district collectors have also been asked to shift those residing in places where there were natural disasters earlier and where the places are vulnerable to natural disasters, to safer locations. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea since there are chances of strong winds along the state's coast.

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