High alert in Kerala as cyclone Burevi set to lash southern coast

Burevi is likely to make a landfall in the southern coast of Tamil Nadu between Mannar and Kanyakumari on Thursday and move towards the southern tip of Kerala by Friday

Kerala has been put on high alert as the tropical cyclone, Burevi, is expected to lash the southern coast by Friday morning. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the State has taken all precautions and asked people to take utmost care and stay indoors for the next two days.

Police personnel and coast guard wardens create awareness among fishermen residing near Vizhinjam seashore in view of Cyclone Burevi, in Thiruvananthapuram.(PTI)

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called us and we apprised him about the steps being taken by the government. We have opened relief camps and shifted people living in low-lying areas. We are also keeping a tab on water level in dams,” said the CM. He said in view of the impending cyclone, certain restrictions will be made in the ongoing seasonal pilgrimage to hill temple Sabarimala.

According to the latest bulletin of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Burevi is likely to make a landfall in the southern coast of Tamil Nadu between Mannar and Kanyakumari on Thursday and move towards the southern tip of Kerala by Friday. The IMD has declared red alert in four south and central Kerala districts-- Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta-- and orange alert in three other districts.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said 26 relief teams have been deployed in TN and Kerala and one team was in reserve in Puducherry. Besides NDRF, army, navy, air force and coast guard units are also on standby in case of any emergency, said state revenue officials. Though the cyclone is expected to cut through the southern tip of the state, it is likely to trigger heavy rainfall in four southern districts, said IMD regional centre in Thiruvananthapuram.

Cyclone Burevi, named by the Maldives, will not be as strong as cyclone Nivar which lashed the northern coast of Tamil Nadu last week, said met officials. They said the storm is expected to have a speed of 80-90 km/hour unlike Nivar which had a speed of 110-130 km/hour.