Sea Swell: Red alert sounded for Kallakkadal in coastal parts of Kerala, south Tamil Nadu

Thiruvananthapuram: Central agencies have issued a red alert for 'Kallakkadal', warning of sudden sea swells causing rough waves in coastal areas of Kerala and the south Tamil Nadu coast on Saturday and Sunday.

This marks the first time a red alert has been issued for the phenomenon of 'Kallakkadal' -- the sudden swell of the seas causing rough waves -- by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in this part of the country, officials here said.

The officials have urged fishermen and coastal residents to take necessary precautions in response to the alert.

"Red alert for swell surge warning has been received from NDMA-INCOIS," a Kerala Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) official said.

The coastal areas of Kerala and southern Tamil Nadu are likely to experience the 'kallakkadal' phenomenon from 2.30 am on Saturday to 11.30 pm on Sunday, weather agencies said, while issuing the red alert.

There is the possibility of extremely strong waves, rough seas and sea incursion during this period, they said. The officials, however, said it was not a tsunami-like phenomenon.

Earlier in the day, the INCOIS had said there is a possibility of rough seas due to high waves of 0.5 to 1.5 metres during this period.

INCOIS, the central agency that issues weather warnings for fishermen in the country, advised people to safely moor their fishing vessels in the harbour.

In a statement, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) and other weather agencies advised people to stay away from danger zones as per the instructions of the authorities, as the rough sea conditions are likely to intensify.

"Keeping a safe distance between boats can avoid the risk of collision. The safety of fishing equipment should be ensured," they said in a statement here.

The agencies also advised people to avoid trips to the beach and completely stay away from activities at sea.

The term 'kallakkadal' literally means a sea that comes suddenly like a thief.

INCOIS has said that the swells result from strong winds in the southern part of the Indian Ocean at certain times and that they occur suddenly without any particular indications or warning. Hence the name 'kallakkadal'.