Latest news with #KSDMA
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Wayanad: Heavy rain causes river swell in 2024 landslide-hit areas, sparks panic
Wayanad: Intense rain lashed Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas in the district, which were devastated by a landslide in July 2024, causing the Punnapuzha river to swell on Wednesday. The torrential flow of muddy water in the river raised fears of a fresh landslide, but officials later confirmed that no such event occurred. According to the district disaster management authority, the heavy rain that began on Tuesday night led to a minor mud slip in the area where the 2024 landslide happened. From around 9.30 am, the river began rising sharply, with strong currents reaching just below the Bailey bridge constructed after last year's disaster. The gushing waters breached the Attamala road and also submerged parts of the road to Punchirimattam. However, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) as well as Wayanad district collector M R Meghasree said there was no fresh landslide. "The officials examined all the way up to Punchirimattom and there is no new landslide there. It is the existing debris that has now come down. It is natural and it is something that we should be prepared for," the collector said. Officials from the forest and revenue departments, who surveyed the area, also found that portions of soil from the elevated slopes near the Vanarani estate had eroded. The collector said access to the affected areas had been restricted until the rains subsided. Livelihood assistance to people will be decided after discussions with the govt, she added. KSDMA member secretary Sekhar Kuriakose said the erosion of the loose debris from the 2024 landslide would continue for some time. "The eroded materials need to completely wash off. The river and its immediate buffer of no-go zone is well marked, also considering the possibility of eroded materials coming down," he said. C K Vishnudas, director of the Hume Centre of Ecology that has been monitoring rainfall in Wayanad on a daily basis, said Mundakkai and nearby areas received 70 mm of rainfall till noon on Wednesday, which likely contributed to the river's surge. With residents saying that they heard a large sound from Mundakkai hills, panic set in. Fire and rescue services, police and revenue officials reached the scene, and around 150 plantation workers of Harrisons Malayalam Estate and other estates, who were working in the area, were quickly evacuated in tractors, trucks and other vehicles. The tribal families of Erattukundu colony were also relocated. Part of the soil and other debris, which were stored along the riverbanks as part of desilting the river under a Rs 195-crore project, were also washed away in the heavy rain. Following the landslide on July 30, 2024, 5.7 million cu m of debris flowed across 8 km along the Punnapuzha river, altering its course. Meanwhile, protesting residents blocked revenue officials, including the village officer, tahsildar and ADM, saying that their safety was at stake and demanding that they should be provided a daily allowance promised for landslide-hit families. The IMD has issued an orange alert for the district on Thursday. The collector has declared a holiday for all educational institutions, including professional colleges and residential institutions. Entry to all tourist spots in vulnerable areas has been prohibited.
The Hindu
19-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Centre reviews flood mitigation proposal for capital city
The Union government has reviewed the proposals submitted by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) for the implementation of a ₹200-crore Urban Flood Risk Management Programme for Thiruvananthapuram city, according to KSDMA officials. The Centre's approval for the wide-ranging programme involving various government departments as well as the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation is awaited. All the proposals collated from the departments and the Corporation were submitted by the KSDMA, which is the coordinating agency for the project. According to Corporation officials, the civic body's proposals were focussed on the storm water drains leading into the three major canal networks in the city — Amayizhanjan, Parvathy Puthanar, and Thettiyar. The cleaning up and deepening of these drains could address waterlogging-related issues in several areas, as per the assessment of the Corporation. Tackling waterlogging 'Several new storm water drains were constructed under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme, due to which there was no waterlogging in some areas which were perpetually plagued by it. Some more drains need improvement to address the remaining issues,' said an official. On the other hand, the Major and Minor Irrigation departments have focussed on the cleaning and widening of the various canals that run through the city as well as plans to address the issues at the Veli breakwater. Funds for the project For the programme, the Union government will contribute ₹150 crore and the State, ₹50 crore. The capital is one among nine cities chosen for the nationwide programme to enhance the resilience of cities to flood-related disasters, considering the increasing frequency of waterlogging and flooding. The 15th Finance Commission had in 2022 earmarked an amount of ₹2,500 crore under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund for urban flood mitigation for the seven most populous cities. As a continuation of this, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) rolled out similar programmes for nine more cities at a cost of ₹1,800 crore – in which Thiruvananthapuram has been included.
Hans India
17-06-2025
- Climate
- Hans India
Over 31,000 Sq Km in Karnataka Vulnerable to Landslides, Warns State Revenue Department
Bengaluru: With the southwest monsoon intensifying across Karnataka, the state government has raised concerns over a sharp increase in incidents of flooding and landslides. The Revenue Department, in coordination with the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), has identified vulnerable zones and directed officials to initiate precautionary measures. According to KSDMA data, approximately 31,261 sq km of land across the state is prone to landslides. Of this, 1,164.52 sq km is categorised as high-risk, 5,386.79 sq km as moderate risk, and 24,710.11 sq km as low-risk areas. A total of 29 taluks have been flagged as landslide-prone. Districts including Dakshina Kannada, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Uttara Kannada, Kodagu, Udupi, and Hassan face the highest threat, based on assessments by the Geological Survey of India and the KSDMA. These regions have historically experienced frequent slope failures during the monsoon, often exacerbated by deforestation, soil saturation, and unregulated development. Uttara Kannada tops the list with 8,389.26 sq km of vulnerable area, followed by Shivamogga (4,797.97 sq km), Dakshina Kannada (4,600 sq km), Kodagu (4,150 sq km), Chikkamagaluru (4,100 sq km), Udupi (2,650 sq km), and Hassan (1,100 sq km). From 2006 till date, Karnataka has recorded at least 1,541 landslides, resulting in 101 fatalities, according to official records. As rainfall continues to intensify across the Western Ghats and other interior regions, the Revenue Department has instructed district administrations to remain on high alert and activate early warning systems. Evacuation protocols, temporary shelters, and emergency response teams are being prepared in sensitive areas. Officials have been urged to ensure strict monitoring of hill slopes, regulate construction in vulnerable zones, and sensitise the public about potential hazards.
Deccan Herald
17-06-2025
- Business
- Deccan Herald
Karnataka: Revenue dept identifies 23.19L ‘ineligible' pensioners
'Currently, there are 21.87 lakh and 31.33 lakh beneficiaries under the Old Age Pension and Sandhya Suraksha Scheme, respectively. (Of this) 9.04 lakh beneficiaries under the old age pension scheme and 14.15 lakh beneficiaries of the Sandhya Suraksha Yojana have been found to be ineligible,' the commissioner of KSDMA and Social Security and Pension said in a notification dated June 6.
The Hindu
16-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Oil slick from MSC Elsa 3 continues to pose threat to marine ecosystem
The prospect of oil spill from the container vessel MSC Elsa 3, operated by Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), which sank off the Kochi coast on the night of May 24 while en route from Vizhinjam to Kochi, continues to be a threat to the marine ecosystem as the plan for extracting oil from the ship remains uncertain. 'We observed, with the help of satellite images, that the oil slick from the ship measured approximately 9.3 km long in the sea with a visible silver/metallic reflection on June 1, and by June 9, the slick still had a length of about 2.3 km,' according to Avinash Chanchal, Deputy Program Director, Greenpeace South Asia. According to the latest report submitted by the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS), though significant progress has been made in capping the fuel oil tanks and stabilising the wreckage, the critical oil extraction phase is pending and is dependent on weather conditions. Any further delay could push the extraction timeline dangerously close to the peak monsoon season, increasing environmental risks and limiting salvage windows. The salvage operations have been going on under the supervision of the DGS, with coordination involving agencies including the Indian Coast Guard, State Disaster Management Authorities, shipowners, salvors, and other stakeholders. The salvors have submitted an updated oil recovery plan from the ship with an estimated time of around 24–26 days, which too is subject to weather conditions. The offshore weather continues to present challenges. As per the latest weather forecast dated June 15, winds of 20-25 knots from the southwest persist over the southeast Arabian Sea, with poor visibility over the next 3–5 days. The DGS has directed the salvors to submit both optimistic and realistic deadlines accounting for prevailing monsoon conditions. According to environmentalists, the shipping company must comply with its obligation to urgently remove the remainder of the oil left in the MSC Elsa 3 tanks — out of over 450 tonnes — to avoid further damage to the region's unique marine environment and local economy. Besides, actual damage to ecosystems and local livelihoods must be duly compensated by the MSC. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) made clear that the oil slick from the ship has been capped successfully recently by the salvors, other than minor leaks. However, the dedicated oil extraction from the ship could be completed in July, considering the prevailing weather conditions, said KSDMA sources.
