Flood-markings to be over by Sept 20 in northern districts

Kozhikode: A detailed survey on the flood level will be held in the five northern district of Kerala. It will be carried out by the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM), Kozhikode.

The survey in Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode and Wayanad will be completed by September 20. It will be supported by the Disaster Management Authority, said CWRDM executive director Dr Anitha AB.

On September 6, a meeting was called by the chief secretary to mark the flood level in all the affected places. While the Central Water Commission, New Delhi, is conducting the flood mapping, the Disaster Management Authority will develop a mobile application for the survey. With the help of the new app, latitude, longitude and height of the maximum water level would be marked. The app would be available for the survey on Monday, said Anitha.

"A minimum of four readings have to be recorded from one square kilometre, with at least one photograph from that particular region. As per the mapping, the areas can be divided as high risk, medium risk and low risk. Any further activity on the land, including construction, can be decided after checking these reports. The report might be available for the public later," she added.

Kerala Forest Research Institute will conduct similar survey in Thrissur, Palakkad and Ernakulam. The Mahatma Gandhi University and the Kerala State Remote Sensing and Environment Centre will also join the state-wide survey. Revenue department will be engraving the highest level of flood on the buildings, the executive director said.

Regarding the mass death of the earthworms, she added that no field studies have been carried out so far.