Thiruvananthapuram: Revenue Minister K Rajan said in the assembly that 55 people have died so far due to the monsoon in the state. The government explained that the Central Meteorological Department had not issued a red alert anywhere on October 16. In addition, 117 mm of rain fell in three hours on October 16. On the 16th, there was no weather alert in the Kottayam district. Rescue operations were launched following the incident. The minister said there was a technical delay in reaching the isolated areas.
Rescue operations intensified as the weather improved. All-weather warnings and forecasts are vested in the Union Ministry of Geology. The state government is not doing this. Other agencies are not known to have forecast heavy rain warnings. The Union Army is deployed in the Orange and Red Alert districts. The minister said the meteorological office had not issued a red alert anywhere in Kerala till 10 am on October 16. Meanwhile, the Disaster Management Authority is fully equipped.
Ten hurricane shelters have been set up in the state. These are located on the coast. Construction is in progress at seven locations. The state is heeding the warning of the Central Meteorological Department. The minister reiterated that there was a delay in reaching the disaster-hit areas due to landslides and floods.
