#MV Bureau

Kochi | As summer peaks and heat waves lash Kerala making even nights sizzling, the National Disaster Management Authority along with the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services has put Kerala on red alert, forecasting swell waves on the coast as also that of Tamil Nadu.

According to the forecast, the sea will be dominated by high energy swell waves in the near shore region and the low-lying areas may experience water surges into these beach areas. This phenomenon is expected to happen intermittently from early Saturday to very late Sunday. The waves could rise up to 1.5 metre height.

Swell waves are long length ones on the sea surface and are a result of strong winds when massive energy gets transferred from the air into the water. They can travel long distances.

The authority has said fishermen and the coastal population should be cautious. While small vessels have been asked not to ply nearshore, fishermen have been told to anchor their boats at a fair distance from each other to avoid collision and damage. People have been asked to stay away from beaches and near shore areas.

According to the assessment report of the Intergovernmental panel on Climate Change, the impact of rising sea levels can have an adverse impact on coastal areas. In Kerala, where most of the coastal areas are just marginally above sea level, there is the possibility of frequent flooding or even a permanent state in some areas.

According to the climatologists, the heatwave conditions in the State are expected to remain till at least mid-May after a record-breaking heat in April. The extreme heat conditions have also led to several fatal cases of sunstroke. Global warming is said to be the villain for this condition of frequent and severe extremities that can lead to droughts and even floods.