IMD issues red alert in 8 districts after rains disrupt normal life in Kerala

Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, and Kannur districts were placed on a red alert for the day, while all other districts—aside from Thiruvananthapuram, where a yellow warning is in effect—were placed under an orange alert.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for eight districts of Kerala on Thursday as rainstorms persisted throughout the state, disrupting people's daily life. Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, and Kannur districts were placed on a red alert for the day, while all other districts—aside from Thiruvananthapuram, where a yellow warning is in effect—were placed under an orange alert. An red alert denotes very severe rainfall of 6 to 20 cm, while a red alert means heavy to extremely heavy rains of above 20 cm in 24 hours. A yellow signal denotes 6 to 11 cm of significant rainfall.

Due to the state's unfavourable weather, water levels in a number of rivers, including Chalakkudi, Pampa, Manimala, and Achankovil, rose to or even crossed danger thresholds in a number of districts.

Pinarayi Vijayan, the chief minister of Kerala, issued an advisory to people in low-lying parts of the Thrissur and Ernakulam districts to exercise caution and be prepared to evacuate in accordance with the authorities' orders as the state's rains worsened.

According to Thrissur district officials, the Chalakkudi river level is rising as a result of water being released from the Peringalkuthu dam, which had to open some of its shutters due to heavy rainfall in its catchment area and approximately 16,000 cusecs of water coming from Tamil Nadu, and residents have been relocated to relief camps.

The water in the Kurumali River, which is already beyond the alert level, is projected to rise further since the shutters of Chimmini dam will also be lifted in response to the heavy rains in the Thrissur district, according to authorities. 

Five Middle Eastern planes that were scheduled to land at Calicut Airport but were diverted to Cochin International Airport because of the severe weather in Kozhikode. Six significant dams—Ponmudi, Lower Periyar, Kallarkutty, Erattayar, and Kundala in Idukki, and Moozhiyar in Pathanamthitta districts—have reached red alert water storage levels, according to a statement from the chief minister's office (CMO).

The CMO statement also recommended that people stay away from mountainous regions at night, move into relief camps if they live near rivers, lakes, or other disaster-prone locations, avoid venturing near rivers with high water levels, and keep emergency supplies on hand in their houses.

(With PTI inputs)