Thiruvananthapuram: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning about the possibility for widespread rainfall in the state today. An orange alert has been declared for Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Idukki, while a yellow alert is in place for other areas. Isolated heavy rains are anticipated in districts under the orange alert.
In response to the orange alert from the IMD, quarrying and mining activities are prohibited in Thiruvananthapuram district. Holiday has been announced for all educational institutions in the district today due to the expected heavy rainfall. This includes Professional Colleges, Anganwadi centers, and Kendriya Vidyalayas.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the District Disaster Management Authority has announced a temporary ban on tourism, including visits to beaches, until further notice. The order also prohibits transportation to coastal and hilly regions except essential services. The collector has advised extreme caution, as there is a possibility for landslides in hilly areas and rough seas along the coast.
A cyclone has developed over south Tamil Nadu, and heavy rainfall is anticipated due to low pressure in the Arabian Sea. The IMD has informed that there is a possibility of rain with thunder and lightning in Kerala for the next 5 days, with heavy rainfall at isolated places from the 13th to the 17th, coupled with wind speeds reaching 30-40 kmph.
The IMD has cautioned against fishing in the Kerala-Lakshadweep coasts. Meanwhile, there are no restrictions on fishing along the Karnataka coast. Indian National Center for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has reported that there is a possibility of 0.6 to 1.9 meters high wave and storm surge in Kerala coast till 11.30 pm today and 0.9 to 1.9 meters high along the south Tamil Nadu coast until 11:30 pm on October 16, 2023.
At the same time, the health department has issued a warning about the risk of rat fever, especially with ongoing rain in Thiruvananthapuram district. Precautions include avoiding playing, bathing, or washing hands, feet, and face in stagnant rainwater. People are advised to refrain from contact with water contaminated with the excrement of animals such as cats, dogs, mice, rabbits, squirrels, and cattle. The warning also states that consuming contaminated food and water may also lead to the spreading of infectious diseases.
Rescue workers, sanitation staff, people in distress, and animal caretakers are advised to take the preventive medicine Doxycycline under a doctor’s guidance. Doxycycline is accessible free of charge at all government health centers. Symptoms of rabies include red eyes, fever, reduced urine output with dark color, headaches, and pain in the muscles of the legs. Also, if symptoms of jaundice are seen along with fever, rabies can be suspected. The health department informed that those who have worked in high-risk areas should seek immediate treatment if they feel fever and report the illness to the nearest health workers.
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