Southwest Monsoon arrives in Kerala, announces IMD; Yellow alert in all 14 districts

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday (May 30) announced that the Southwest monsoon has arrived in Kerala and a yellow alert has been sounded in all the 14 districts.

Thiruvananthapuram:  The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed the onset of the Southwest monsoon over Kerala and its advancement to most parts of northeast India on Thursday (May 30) morning. Kerala, already facing a flood-like situation in places like Kochi, is preparing for heavy rainfall. In response to the monsoon's arrival, the IMD issued a yellow alert for all districts on Thursday, signaling heavy rainfall ranging from 64.5mm to 115.5 mm.

"Southwest Monsoon has set in over Kerala and advanced into most parts of Northeast India today, the 30th May, 2024," IMD said on X.

In response to heavy rains and flood-like situations in various parts of Kerala, authorities have opened 34 relief camps across the state. Currently, 666 affected families, totaling 2,054 individuals including children, have been shifted to these camps for assistance and support.

The highest number of affected individuals relocated to relief camps are in Kollam (877), followed by Alappuzha (752), Kottayam (332), Ernakulam (58), and Thiruvananthapuram (35). Among these camps, those in Kollam also accommodate the largest number of children, with 184, followed by Alappuzha (107) and Kottayam (81).

In Alappuzha, several low-lying areas experienced flooding, with water entering homes in Champakulam, Nedumudy, Kainakari, and other parts of the district. Kayamkulam, Haripad, Cherthala, and Kandalloor also faced significant waterlogging issues. Gusty winds caused the front portion of a tiled-roof house to collapse in Ambalapuzha, while another house in Thalavady saw its roof completely damaged. Additionally, floodwaters entering a poultry farm in Kattakkada, Thiruvananthapuram, killed over 5,000 chickens. Potholes filled with water created traffic hurdles on numerous national highways across the state.