As the rain continues to batter the district, a meeting chaired by Agriculture Minister P. Prasad on Sunday reviewed the preparedness and decided to initiate necessary measures to deal with the emergencies.
Mr. Prasad said the disaster management system in the district was ready for any eventuality arising out of natural calamities. The meeting decided to strengthen precautionary measures at all levels. As part of it, local body-level and assembly constituency-level meetings would be convened. Minister-level review meetings would be held on alternative days.
Mr. Prasad said that directions had been issued to complete paddy procurement in a week.
District Collector Renu Raj said the administration had identified 430 buildings and two cyclone shelters to shift people in case of emergencies.
The district received rainfall but with decreased intensity on Sunday. Several low-lying areas remained waterlogged. Officials said the incessant rains that lashed the district in the last couple of days had damaged two houses in Karthikappally and Mavelikkara taluks.
The weather agency declared an orange alert for Alappuzha on May 16.
Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian, A.M. Ariff, MP, MLAs P.P. Chitharanjan, H. Salam, Ramesh Chennithala, Daleema Jojo, Thomas K. Thomas, M.S. Arunkumar, and others attended.
