Holiday cannot be declared for yellow alert: Thiruvananthapuram District Collector responds to criticisms

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Collector Anu Kumari responded to the criticism that the holiday declared in Thiruvananthapuram was late despite heavy rain. The collector said that since the yellow alert is only a warning, a holiday cannot be declared as per the rules. The Collector declared the holiday after consulting Education Minister V Sivankutty in the morning.

The Collector was harshly criticized on social media for being late in declaring the holiday despite heavy rain. The holiday announcement came after school buses had left in many places. Students had also reached some schools that start classes early in the morning. The parents of many of them came to know about the holiday very late.

Meantime, there is a warning that heavy rains will continue in central and southern Kerala. An orange alert has been issued in Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Idukki tomorrow. A yellow alert has also been issued in Thrissur, Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Kollam and Palakkad. Fishing is also banned off the Kerala coast.

The low-pressure area formed in the Bay of Bengal has turned into a depression. It is likely to intensify into an extreme low-pressure area near the Andhra-Odisha coast by tomorrow and enter the land. As the extreme low pressure approaches the land, there is a possibility of rain spreading from central Kerala to north Kerala.

Rain damages are severe in many places including the capital district. One acre of agricultural land was washed away in the Ezhukum field in Idukki. There was heavy rain here. Many low-lying areas are under water.