Heavy rains disrupt normal life in Kerala, red alert issued in five districts

Heavy rains continued across Kerala on Saturday, causing waterlogging, uprooting trees and disrupting daily life. The IMD issued a red alert in five districts and warned of extremely heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and strong winds across parts of the state

Thiruvananthapuram: Overnight heavy rains that lashed various parts of Kerala continued on Saturday morning, inundating roads, uprooting trees, damaging houses and throwing normal life into disarray in parts of the state.

A tree fell on a temporary shed, destroying it and killing a 29-year-old man who was sleeping under it in Thrissur’s Manaloor, a fire and rescue services official said.

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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert in five districts — Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod — for the day.

It also issued an orange alert in six districts — Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur and Palakkad — and a yellow alert in the remaining three districts of the state for the day.

A red alert indicates extremely heavy rainfall of over 20 cm in 24 hours, while an orange alert means very heavy rainfall of 11 cm to 20 cm, and a yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 cm and 11 cm.

In view of the red alert, entry to tourist trekking spots, night travel on hilly roads and quarrying activities have been prohibited in Wayanad, Kozhikode and Kasaragod districts for the day.

Besides, Saturday was declared a holiday for educational institutions in Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod districts.

The IMD also said that the southwest monsoon has reached most parts of the central-western and central-eastern Arabian Sea as well as parts of Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

It further said that due to a cyclonic circulation located over north Kerala, extremely heavy rainfall was likely in parts of Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad and Malappuram districts on June 6.

Besides, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in parts of Kerala and Mahe from June 6 to 9, the weather department said.

Additionally, widespread rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds with speeds reaching 40 to 50 kilometres per hour is likely in Kerala from June 6 to 10, the IMD said.

It cautioned fishermen against venturing into the sea along the Kerala-Lakshadweep-Karnataka coasts from June 6 to 9 as strong winds with speeds reaching 40 to 60 kmph are likely in the region.