1.10 Alerts and Action Required

Geographical and socio-economic context should consider understanding the alert for any warning since Kerala is a very diverse geographical area. Our main risk areas are the rocky hillsides, the narrow rivers, and the long & densely populated coastline. The social structure of those living in these unsafe areas should also be examined. The most backward sections of Kerala's society reside in these places. These are the areas where unoccupied homes are most likely to be found. The warning is to be determined accordingly. Rain doesn’t always pose a threat. Modification of the mountainous areas, loss of forest cover, cutting of hillsides, diverting rivers or streams, filling of paddy fields for construction activities, encroachment leads to the disaster-prone environment, even when there is light rain.

Therefore, preparations for a district in the hilly region are not sufficient for coastal areas. Each alert must be considered by the concerned officer in charge of the area. The catastrophic risk of each village was coded and tabulated and attached herein Annexure 1.

For a day between the consecutive days of rain you get a yellow alert, the day of yellow alert deserves special attention. The same should be done for orange alerts also. When for some consecutive days there is no rain, but in between for one day if got a red alert, then that day deserves special attention. The steps that each department must take in accordance with the colour of each alert is mentioned in the Handbook on Disaster Management –Volume 2 –Emergency Operations Centres & Emergency Support Functions Plan, Kerala.

http://sdma.kerala.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/EOCESFP2015-Edition-2.pdf

The above alerts should follow all the departments, LSGs, with instructions from state/disaster management authorities.

• As per the IMD if the wind forecast is more than 10 and the tidal prediction by INCOIS is more than 3m then in that situation, fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea.

• As per the meeting held on 4-12-2017 by the executive committee of KSDMA, if a warning is done by KSDMA as “ fishermen advised not to venture” the fishermen are not allowed to go for fishing in the mentioned marine area or mentioned time suggested by INCOIS or KSDMA.

• If a warning like “Total suspension of fishing” is released IMD for a period in the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, and the Bay of Bengal then KSDMA will issue a strict order to avoid fishing during the given period in the specified area.