Kerala braces for cyclone Burevi, IMD sounds red alert in four districts

The Indian Meteorological Department has sounded red alert in four south and central Kerala districts - Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta and orange alert in three other districts ahead of cyclone Burevi’s expected landfall on Thursday morning.

As the depression over the south Bay of Bengal intensified into a severe cyclonic storm, Kerala started evacuating people from low-lying and coastal areas on Tuesday and sought more teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

Fishing boats anchored at Vizhinjam beach in Thiruvananthapuram after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a cyclone alert for coastal areas of Tamil Nadu and Kerala on Tuesday. (PTI)

The storm named Burevi is expected to make landfall in Kanyakumari by Thursday morning. The MeT office said the depression is now centered 800 km away from Kanyakumari and it is likely to develop more speed during the next 12 hours. The Indian Meteorological Department has sounded red alert in four south and central Kerala districts - Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta and orange alert in three other districts.

Union cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba who chaired the National Crisis Management meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday, later spoke to the chief secretaries of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and advisor of Lakshadweep.

Kerala has sought seven more teams of the NDRF and services of the Navy, Coast Guard and the Air Force, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

Heavy rain is expected for two days starting from Wednesday accompanied by strong wind with a speed of 75 to 90 km per hour, the MeT office said.

In 2017, cyclone Ockhi that hit Kerala and coastal Tamil Nadu claimed many lives. Authorities feel that with enough precautions and planning, Kerala can minimise the damage this time. The revenue minister has called another meeting on Wednesday to review the situation.