The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) would arrange nearly 8000-9000 buildings in the state which are to be used as relief centres. Monsoon 2020 which is passing through the state is expected to be normal. However, if it precipitates like happened in 2018, then these relief centre would be important.
It is expected that around 34 lakh people would be affected if the monsoon rains increase unexpectedly. In 2018, the monsoon has witnessed high rainfall creating worst floods which the state saw in past few decades.
However, this year monsoon is predicted to be stable by the India Meteorological Department. These preparations are a worst-case scenario projected by the KSDMA as it has experience in handling excessive rain in the last few seasons.
The KSDMA is ready to face excessive rainfall and provide safe shelters for people who would be affected.
KSDMA asked the local authorities to identify four types of buildings to provide shelters for various people in the wake of COVID-19. Every year the KSDMA arrange nearly 2,000 relief centres to face the monsoon calamities. But, this year around 8000-9000 buildings were arranged for use as relief centres in the backdrop of the pandemic.
Under the relief centre program schools, colleges, auditoriums will be arranged as relief centres. These buildings were used as quarantine centres during the COVID-19 outbreak in the state. Now people who are coming back to the state are kept under home quarantine.
In 2019 and 2018 the rainfall prediction was 96 per cent on the long period average (LPA) and 97 in 2018. Both these years state witnessed huge rainfall going up to 20cm a day and floods destroyed many homes.
This year the forecast is 100 per cent on the long period average (LPA), however, the state is waiting for complete details on the excessive rains which create floods in a short span of time.
The state is likely to see its first cyclone shelter at Mararikulam in Alappuzha, the state will be constructing 16 Multipurpose Cyclone Shelters across the coastal districts in the state to protect people in these district during any calamities.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to prevail in the country, Kerala is the first state to contain the spread successfully. However, people returning from the middle east possess a huge risk to revive the infection rates and heavy rains will turn disastrous as measures like social distancing, face mask will becomes hard to follow.
