Kozhikode bans night travel to hill areas as depression triggers landslide alert
Kozhikode district administration has barred non-essential travel to hilly areas overnight and put emergency teams on standby amid heavy rain and landslide fears.
The Kozhikode district administration has barred non-essential travel to the district's hilly and high-altitude areas between 7 p.m. on Thursday and 7 a.m. on Friday, citing the likelihood of heavy rain and strong winds driven by an intense depression over the Bay of Bengal.
The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has flagged the risk of landslips, landslides, uprooted trees and flash floods, with the hilly belt seen as the most vulnerable. Police will enforce traffic curbs on roads prone to landslips, including stretches in Thamarassery, Thiruvambady and Koorachundu. Vehicles deployed for disaster management work are exempt from the restrictions.
Recreational activities and fishing have been prohibited during the period in rivers, quarries, tourist spots and on beaches.
Taluk Emergency Operation Centres will operate round the clock. Rainfall and water-level readings will be gathered from every village at hourly intervals and relayed to the District Emergency Operation Centre.
Local bodies and village officers have been told to shift residents of vulnerable areas to safer locations or relief camps where required. Details of relief camps and helpline numbers will be released to the public.
Police, Fire and Rescue Services, Civil Defence, Aapda Mitra and Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan volunteers have been kept on standby for rescue operations.
Residents have been urged to avoid unnecessary travel and to follow official instructions. The DDMA said legal action would be taken against those violating directions issued under the Disaster Management Act.