Page 10 - Kerala

Kerala National Highway-66 collapse: Megha Engg faces 1-year NHAI ban

MEIL barred from bidding for NH projects for a year after slope protection failure on NH-66 in Kerala; NHAI orders review by experts and issues ₹9 crore penalty notice

Inundation and sea incursion in coastal regions of Kerala spark protests

Monsoon-battered Kerala continued to face severe challenges on Tuesday, with widespread inundation of low-lying areas and intense sea incursion plaguing coastal hamlets. Several families, living in low-lying regions, were shifted to relief camps in various districts as flood waters failed to recede from their homes. Widespread destruction was reported along the southern coastal belt due to high tidal waves and sea incursion. Kannamaly, a fisherfolk hamlet in Ernakulam district, witnessed protests by locals on Tuesday morning demanding a permanent solution to the long-standing issues of waterlogging and coastal erosion. They blocked a road with country boats, fishing nets and logs as a mark of protest. In Kannamaly, the elderly and children waded through hip-deep water. Several houses were also damaged following high tidal waves, the residents said. According to official figures, three relief camps were set up in Kottayam district and 12 in Thrissur where one house was destroyed .

Floods disrupt life in northern districts of Kerala, rail services hit

Incessant monsoon rains continued to wreak havoc in Kerala on Monday, disrupting normal life, including road and rail traffic. Northern districts bore the brunt of the rainfall, witnessing rising water levels in rivers and other water bodies. Several residents were forced to evacuate to relief camps in districts, including Kannur and Kasaragod as flood water entered their homes. In Kannur, people were seen wading through knee-deep water to reach safer places since Sunday evening. "Children and elderly people were already shifted to relatives' houses. We are now moving to a relief camp opened nearby," a resident said. He lamented that frequent waterlogging following rains has made their lives miserable, preventing children from attending school and adults from going to work. In the Kakkad area of Kannur, an arterial road was completely submerged, bringing traffic to a standstill. Commuters, unaware of the situation, struggled to push their two-wheelers through knee-deep water on

Debris from burning Singapore flagged cargo ship washes ashore in Kerala

A container and a lifeboat from the Singapore-flagged cargo ship MV Wan Hai 503, which caught fire off the Kerala coast a week ago, washed ashore in Alappuzha district on Monday, raising concerns that more debris may reach the coast in the coming days. Officials said the container, believed to be empty, and the lifeboat were found near the Kakkazhom area. Alappuzha District Collector Alex Varghese, who visited the site, said the State Disaster Management Authority and the shipping company had been informed. The items will be removed by a salvage team. Customs authorities have been alerted and will carry out the necessary formalities, officials added. The development has sparked fears that additional containers could drift ashore along the Alappuzha and Ernakulam coasts on June 17 and 18. Meanwhile, defence sources said that the cargo vessel is currently being towed by professional salvors appointed by the ship's owner. The MV Wan Hai 503 is now about 45 nautical miles off the coa

India reports one Covid-19 death in 24 hrs, active cases dip to 7,131

India recorded one Covid-19 death and reported a dip in active cases to 7,131, marking the first decline during the current outbreak; Kerala remains worst-affected

Hepatitis A outbreak in Kerala: What's causing it and how to stay safe

Over 3,000 hepatitis A cases and 16 deaths reported in Kerala; health officials link outbreak to contaminated water sources

Watch: Fire erupts on Singapore-flagged container vessel off Kerala coast

A major fire broke out on board a Singapore-flagged ship after a container explosion off the Kerala coast on Monday, defence sources said. Eighteen crew members were rescued, while four remain missing

Kerala boy's death from electric trap becomes flashpoint in Nilambur bypoll

Fifteen-year-old Ananthu's death by an illegal electric trap has raised serious concerns about law enforcement, rural safety, and political accountability ahead of the Nilambur bye-election

Fire erupts on Singapore-flagged container vessel off Kerala coast

An explosion was reported on board the Singapore-flagged container ship MV Wan Hai 503 off the coast of Kerala on Monday morning, a Defence PRO said here. The underdeck blast was first reported at around 10.30 am by the Maritime Operations Centre in Mumbai to their counterparts in Kochi. The 270-metre-long vessel, with a draught of 12.5 metres, had left Colombo on June 7 and was en route to Mumbai, expected to arrive on June 10. "On 09 Jun 25, at about 1030 h, MOC (Koc) received an information from MOC (Mbi) about a reported underdeck explosion onboard MV Wan Hai 503. The vessel is a Singapore Flag Container ship, 270 m long and draught 12.5m with LPC Colombo," the PRO said in a communication. He said in response, the Indian Navy diverted INS Surat, which had been scheduled to dock in Kochi, to provide immediate assistance. The Western Naval Command redirected the vessel at 11 am, the PRO said. A Navy Dornier aircraft sortie is also being planned from the naval air station INS Ga

Bakrid school holiday 2025: Schools to remain shut in Kerala and Tamil Nadu

Schools and educational institutions in Kerala and Tamil Nadu will remain closed on June 7. Here's all you need to know

No official Bharat Mata image, cannot be allowed in events: Kerala govt

The Left government in Kerala on Friday made it clear that it was not in agreement with the use of the Bharat Mata portrait at the Environment Day event at the Raj Bhavan here as the picture was not authorised as the official version by the Constitution or the Indian government. Kerala Agriculture Minister P Prasad, who boycotted the event at the Raj Bhavan a day ago over the use of the portrait, said that those in constitutional offices cannot convert government programmes into political events. A similar view was also expressed by state General Education Minister V Sivankutty who said that the Raj Bhavan and the Governor were above politics and said that Arlekar should withdraw from the stand taken by him. The government's stand came a day after Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar asserted that there would be no compromise on Bharat Mata. Prasad, while talking to a TV channel, said that no Bharat Mata portrait has ever been acknowledged as the official or authorised version by t

India logs 564 Covid-19 cases; IMA urges caution, not panic amid rise

With active Covid-19 cases at 4,866 nationwide, the IMA advises preventive steps, especially for the elderly and chronically ill, to curb further escalation

Kerala CM calls for controlled, democratic use of natural resources

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday called for sustainable and environment friendly development in the state and controlled and democratic use of natural resources. In a Facebook post on the occasion of World Environment Day, Vijayan said that currently it is an era of increasing crisis due to climate change and environmental degradation and therefore, collective responsibility to protect the ecosystem is important. "The development of the state should be sustainable and environment friendly. Instead of blind capitalist exploitation, we should ensure controlled and democratic use of natural resources," he said. The CM said that this year's World Environment Day theme was to stop the widespread plastic pollution. He called for building a developed world for future generations while also preserving a healthy nature.

Pension remarks meant to show govt's delay in payment, arrears: Venugopal

Congress general secretary K C Venugopal on Wednesday clarified that his remarks about welfare pension disbursement by the Kerala government were aimed at showing how much delayed it was and that arrears were partially cleared usually close to elections. Venugopal, the MP from Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency, said his remarks were "deliberately misinterpreted" by the CPI(M) to "mislead" the people. "I did not say anything against the beneficiaries who deserve to get the pension on time. I only intended to point out the state government's priority with regard to its payment. "Last year, two out of seven months arrears were paid just before the Lok Sabha polls. This year, one month's arrears is being paid just before the by-poll," he told reporters. He alleged that while the government has enough funds to take care of "PR work" for itself and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, it is unable to pay pension arrears on time or increase the honorarium of Accredited Social Health Activist .

India logs 2,710 active Covid-19 cases, Kerala tops with 1,147 infections

Health ministry data suggests the country saw 168% rise in active Covid cases in the last four days

India's Covid-19 cases climb to 2,710; Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi worst hit

India's active Covid-19 cases rise to 2,710 with Kerala worst hit, followed by Maharashtra and Delhi; new sub-variants NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 under watch; seven deaths reported

TN on alert for toxic debris after Liberia-registered ship sinks off Kerala

The ship was involved in an accident off the Kerala coast on May 24, during the onset of the southwest monsoon, resulting in the spillage of fuel, plastic particles, and hazardous cargo containers.

Heavy rains to continue in Kerala due to low pressure in Bay of Bengal: IMD

As monsoon rains continued in Kerala, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday said that due to a severe low pressure over the Bay of Bengal, the state is likely to receive heavy rainfall in some areas during the next few days. The IMD also sounded an orange alert in four districts -- Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Idukki -- of the state. An orange alert means very heavy rain of 11 cm to 20 cm in 24 hours. It also said that there was a likelihood of thunderstorms with moderate rainfall and gusty winds of speeds reaching 40-60 kilometers per hour in some parts of the state. Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) said that due to the heavy rains, water levels in various rivers -- Manimala and Achankovil in Pathanamthitta, Meenachil in Kottayam, Korapuzha in Kozhikode, and Kabani in Wayanad districts -- of the state were steadily rising. It advised those living on the banks of these rivers to be vigilant. The rains and strong winds as part of the monsoon

India crosses 1,000 active Covid-19 cases, Kerala tops with 430 infections

The country clocked 752 new Covid-19 infections between May 19 and 26, seven deaths reported during the period

Boat capsize: Kerala on high alert, efforts on to avert major marine crisis

All company representatives of MSC have arrived in Kochi and have been advised to visit both the Indian Coast Guard and MMD offices, Sonowal said