Kerala Red Alert for Idukki, Palakkad; Schools Shut in Two Districts
Image: Onmanorama / PTI (representative)
Updated 8:50 AM IST, 26 October: Idukki and Palakkad are under IMD’s red alert on Monday. Palakkad Collector K Sudheer has shut all educational institutions in the district for the day, including professional colleges, anganwadis and tuition centres, and Kozhikode Collector M S Madhavikutty has done the same; exams scheduled in advance will go ahead. In Idukki, two women plantation workers, aged 50 and 52, died on Sunday afternoon when a tree uprooted in heavy rain and wind fell on them at a cardamom estate in Singukudi near Mankulam, Onmanorama and The South First reported; they were declared dead at Adimali Taluk Hospital.
Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad are under a red alert for extremely heavy rain on Sunday, 25 October, and Idukki and Palakkad move to red on Monday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. A red alert means more than 204.4 mm of rain is possible in 24 hours at isolated places. The rain comes from a low-pressure area over the southeast Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep, with a trough running across Kerala to the north Tamil Nadu coast.
Orange for Seven More Districts Today
Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Kannur are on orange alert on Sunday, meaning very heavy rain of 115.6–204.4 mm. Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha and Kasaragod are on yellow. On Monday, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Malappuram stay on orange.
Also read Chennai Rain Shuts Schools in Five Districts; IMD Sees Rain Till Oct 26
Squally winds of 35–45 kmph, gusting to 55 kmph, are likely along the coast and fishermen have been told not to go to sea. INCOIS has warned of a swell surge (kallakkadal) with waves of 0.8–1.2 m on the Thiruvananthapuram coast from Kappil to Pozhiyoor until 11:30 pm on Sunday. Landslides are possible in the hills, and residents of landslide-prone areas have been asked to follow local authorities’ instructions and stay away from rivers.
Alert Raised From Orange in a Day
On Friday, IMD’s outlook for Sunday had seven Kerala districts on orange. The Arabian Sea low has since strengthened the forecast for the north. Kerala is in its northeast monsoon season, and the state is also feeling the edge of the twin systems now active on both coasts; the Bay of Bengal depression is forecast to become Cyclone Arnab and cross the Andhra coast on 28 October.
Yellow Alerts Run to Tuesday
Thunderstorms with winds of 30–40 kmph are possible at isolated places until 27 October. On Tuesday, IMD has yellow alerts for Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram, a sign the heaviest spell should ease after Monday. Neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Puducherry also have heavy rain forecast until 26 October. More on the Weather Updates page.
Source: IMD Thiruvananthapuram. Also based on reporting by The South First, Onmanorama, Deccan Herald / PTI, Onmanorama and Daily Jagran.
Image: Onmanorama / PTI (representative).
