Kerala: Chances of heavy rainfall due to cyclonic pressure over Arabian sea; IMD issues warning

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued orange alert in 4 districts including Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Idukki today. Heavy rain will continue in the isolated place. 

Thiruvananthapuram: Heavy rain will continue in the state today (Oct 16). The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued orange alert in 4 districts including Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Idukki today. Heavy rain will continue in the isolated place. 

The IMD has warned that the cyclone is located over Lakshadweep along the southeast Arabian Sea and Kerala coast. The cyclone is likely to intensify into low pressure by tomorrow. According to the Meteorological Department, it is likely to move in a west-northwest direction and intensify again in the next 48 hours. There is a possibility of heavy rain with thunder and lightning and wind speeds of 30 to 40 km per hour today and tomorrow. The department has also issued a light rain warning at isolated places in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, and Ernakulam districts in the coming hours.

A yellow alert has been declared in 10 districts including Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode , Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod today.

The Thiruvananthapuram district collector Geromic George has declared holiday in all educational institutes including schools and professional colleges. 

Meanwhile, waterlogging took place in many parts of Thiruvananthapuram district. Around 122 families living in Thekkumoodu Bund Colony were shifted to a secure place. Flooding also affected many houses in Kannammoola. Currently, the water has receded from the areas that were flooded on Sunday.

45 people were taken to shelters because water entered their homes in Puthanpalam. Similarly, there was severe flooding in Technopark, causing distress for the people there. The coastal areas were also flooded, with five coconut trees submerged underwater.

The Central Water Commission has said that the Vellakadav river in Thiruvananthapuram district has been declared on orange alert today. Meanwhile, the Neyyar River and the Vamanapuram River in Thiruvananthapuram have been declared yellow alert.