Page 33 - Kerala

Severe flooding hits Kerala, Assam due to two cyclonic systems: CWC

Severe flooding has hit Kerala and Assam due to two cyclonic systems, according to the Central Water Commission which advised continuous monitoring and preparedness for further potential flooding. The Central Water Commission (CWC) has released its flood situation report, detailing significant rainfall and resulting severe flood conditions in various regions of India, with Kerala and Assam being the most affected. One cyclone over Arunachal Pradesh, combined with strong winds from the Bay of Bengal, has brought heavy rains to northeastern states like Assam, Meghalaya and Sikkim. Another cyclone off the coast of south Kerala has caused heavy rainfall in Kerala. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted more heavy rains, which are causing rivers in both regions to rise. The key rivers in Assam such as Subansiri, Jiabharali and Kopili are swelling, affecting the districts like Tinsukia, Darrang and Nalbari, the advisory said. Although some rivers like the Barak are see

Centre, states gear up to tackle infectious zoonotic disease outbreaks

Centre announces detailed advisory on bird flu, Kerala government intensifies Nipah prevention efforts

Red alert as Southwest monsoon causes landslides, waterlogging in Kerala

With Southwest monsoon intensifying in Kerala two days after its onset, heavy downpours lashed several parts of the state, especially in south and central districts triggering landslides, uprooting trees and waterlogging. Continuous rains for hours caused widespread destruction in the high-range areas of Kottayam and Idukki districts, while intense rains caused severe waterlogging and traffic snarls in the low-lying areas of Thrissur district. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) updated its weather warning, placing the central district of Thrissur and northern districts of Malappuram and Kozhikode under red alert on Saturday. An orange alert was sounded in Idukki, Palakkad and Wayanad and a yellow alert was issued in six districts. A red alert indicates heavy to extremely heavy rain of over 20 cm in 24 hours, while an orange alert means very heavy rain of 11 cm to 20 cm, and a yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 cm and 11 cm. Landslides and trees getting uprooted wer

No animal sacrifice performed near temple as claimed by Shivakumar: Kerala

The Kerala government on Saturday reiterated that no animal sacrifice was held near a temple in the northern part of the state as claimed by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar. Kerala Devaswom Minister K Radhakrishnan said that Shivakumar had made a huge allegation that animal sacrifice was performed near the Rajarajeshwara temple at Taliparamba in Kannur district of the state against him, CM Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka. "We investigated the claim and also contacted the Malabar Devaswom Board. The preliminary report we got states that nothing like that has happened in or near the temple. The Devaswom Board also confirmed it," the minister said. He said that it needs to be examined why Shivakumar made such an allegation. Radhakrishnan also said that the government was investigating whether anything as alleged by the Karnataka Deputy CM happened anywhere else in Kerala, even though according to initial reports such an incident has not occurred in

Kerala receives moderate rainfall; IMD sounds orange alert in 5 districts

Various districts in Kerala received moderate rains on Wednesday, even as the weather office forecast very heavy rainfall in five districts of the state in the coming hours. As per the latest update of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam were placed under an orange alert, predicting "very heavy rains" in these districts today. The red alert issued in Ernakulam and Kottayam districts on Tuesday was withdrawn. At the same time, Thiruvananthapuram, Idukki, and Thrissur districts were placed under yellow alert, the IMD added. Moderate rainfall is expected at one or two places in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts, and light rainfall is likely to occur at one or two places in Palakkad, Malappuram, and Kozhikode districts in the coming hours, it said. Meanwhile, incidents of trees being uprooted and houses damaged were reported in various parts of the .

Kerala health min announces intensification of Nipah prevention in state

Minister George emphasized the importance of extreme caution and outlined several key preventive measures

Arriving early: Monsoon sets in over Kerala and Northeast, says IMD

Meteorologists meanwhile said that the rains after arriving over Kerala will quickly cover neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Karnataka but then might slacken a bit

Southwest monsoon arrives in Kerala, says IMD: Here is what it means

The Southwest Monsoon has arrived in Kerala and advanced into much of Northeast India, the IMD announced on Thursday

Cong alleges Kerala ministers lied about liquor policy, demands probe

The Congress on Sunday continued its attack against the Left government in Kerala over its liquor policy, accusing Excise Minister M B Rajesh and Tourism Minister P A Mohammed Riyas of "lying" to the public by claiming that no discussion had taken place regarding the scrapping of the "dry day" norm. The opposition party questioned the silence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the issue and asked why a vigilance probe had not been ordered into the allegations despite receiving a complaint. The Congress also called for the government to announce a judicial probe into the allegations and to sack the excise minister. The criticism came after reports that the state government was considering scrapping the 'dry day' norm (which prohibits the sale of alcohol in the state on the first day of every calendar month), sparking a political storm in the state. While the Congress-led UDF has accused the LDF government of taking bribes to 'favour' bar owners, the Left claimed it has not yet he

Google maps navigation leads Hyderabad-based tourists into stream in Kerala

Using Google maps to navigate resulted in a tourist group from Hyderabad driving into a stream swollen with water near Kuruppanthara in this south Kerala district, police said on Saturday. The incident occurred late Friday night when the four-member group, including a woman, were going towards Alappuzha. The road they were travelling on was covered by water overflowing from the stream due to the heavy rains and since the tourists were unfamiliar with the area, they drove right into the water body while navigating using Google maps, they said. All four managed to escape unharmed due to the efforts of a nearby police patrolling unit and local residents, but their vehicle was completely submerged under the water. "Efforts are on to pull it out," an officer of Kaduthuruthy police station said. This is not the first such incident reported in Kerala. In October last year, two young doctors died in a car accident which occurred after they allegedly followed directions on Google Maps an

Adani Solar to expand business base in Kerala, sees huge potential in state

Adani Solar on Friday said it will be expanding its business in Kerala as the southern state has huge potential in the solar energy market. As part of its expansion plans, the company, which is the solar PV manufacturing arm of Adani Group, signed an MoU with Kochi-based Almiya group, a reputed solar distributor, as its official partner in the state. Adani Solar said it will be installing a 225 MW solar power plant in Purapura in one year and has set up a warehouse in Coimbatore for faster delivery of the panels in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. "We are expanding our business in Kerala. In 2023 alone we could establish solar panels for 70 MW in Kerala. Kerala has a huge potential in the solar energy market and Adani Group has very big plans for Kerala," Cecil Augustine, National Sales Head of Adani Solar said at a press conference here. He claimed that the solar panels, which are completely made in India, are of superior quality compared with any others in the market in Asia and they have

Avian flu outbreak confirmed in state-run poultry farm in Kerala's Kottayam

Decision was taken to euthanize and cremate all domesticated and pet birds within a one kilometer radius of the poultry farm

Left govt in Kerala enters fourth year, CM says poverty to end by 2025

As the Left government in Kerala marks its fourth year in office, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Wednesday the government plans to develop a knowledge economy and eradicate extreme poverty in the state by November 1, 2025. Listing out achievements of the Kerala government, Vijayan said in a statement that the consecutive Left governments have focused on developing basic infrastructure in the state. "This government is striving to transform Kerala into a knowledge economy, emphasising achievements in infrastructure development and the welfare sector. As part of it, we are addressing deficiencies and eliminating gaps in various areas. Kerala already has the lowest poverty rate in India, and we are now taking steps towards eradicating extreme poverty. By November 1, 2025, Kerala aims to become a state free of extreme poverty," Vijayan said. Vijayan said that while the Union government fails to fill the numerous vacancies in various Central government establishments, including

Kerala activates emergency operation centres amidst heavy rains, says govt

With heavy rains continuing to lash several parts of the state, the Kerala government said on Monday that emergency operation centres have been opened in all district collectorates and taluk offices to tackle any urgent situation. Special directions have been given to alert tourists who arrive in the southern state for holidaying about the rain situation, state Revenue Minister K Rajan said. He stressed the need for strict regulations in hilly areas in the wake of possible landslide threats. "The Disaster Management Authority has warned that there is even the possibility of mudslides on the road due to heavy rains," he told reporters here. Safety boards would be installed in such areas to warn travellers about the threat of a possible land slide, he said. The district collectors have been entrusted to take necessary steps to impose a night travel ban in hilly areas in their respective areas if necessary, Rajan explained. "The 24x7 Emergency Operation Centres have been opened in a

Heavy rains prompt warnings, travel bans in many Kerala districts

As rains lashed many parts of Kerala, authorities on Sunday urged people, particularly those living in hilly and coastal areas, to exercise vigil. The Meteorological Department has issued red alerts for Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, and Idukki districts for Sunday and Monday, and sounded orange alerts for four other districts, including Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, and Ernakulam, for these days. The Met office predicted thunderstorms with moderate rainfall and gusty winds reaching speeds of 40 km/h at one or two places in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Kannur and Kasaragod districts of Kerala till 1 pm on Sunday. The Idukki District Collector has ordered a ban on night travel through the hilly areas of the district from Sunday until the red and orange alerts are withdrawn. "Strict instructions have been issued to the District Superintendent of Police, Sub Divisional Magistrates, Regional Transport Officers, and Tehsildars t

Monsoon to hit Kerala coast on June 1, says private forecaster Skymet

The onset of monsoon over Kerala marks the start of its four-month journey across the mainland, which culminates with the rains withdrawing from the far west corner of Rajasthan

Monsoon expected to hit Kerala coast on May 31, to boost crop output

The monsoon onset over Kerala is likely to be on May 31, with a model error of plus/minus four days, the India Meteorological Department said

Kerala BJP accuses Cong of spreading fake video affecting PM's security

The BJP on Friday accused the Congress in Kerala of spreading a fake video that could affect the security of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded action against the same. The allegation by BJP state chief K Surendran comes two days after police in Karnataka, where the Congress is in power, summoned the party's national president J P Nadda and its IT cell head Amit Malviya in connection with a social media post allegedly intimidating members of SC and ST community not to vote for a particular candidate. Surendran, in a statement, hit out at the grand old party by alleging the contentious video uploaded from the official X account of the Kerala unit of the Congress poses a threat to the PM's security. He demanded immediate action on the issue. Surendran also urged the Election Commission to immediately intervene in the matter and take appropriate action. He further claimed the Congress was making baseless allegations that the PM carries money in the Air Force helicopter in whic

Malayalam cinema gets a new home outside Kerala: Is this boom sustainable?

Its share of the Indian box office has already risen to three times the average for the last many years

SSLC Kerala Board 10th Result 2024: Scorecards to be released at 4 pm

Students need to download their scorecards from the official sites at keralaresults.nic.in, and results.kite.kerala.gov.in. At 3 pm today, the board will declare class 10th result