Kerala Rain Alert: Orange for 7 Districts on October 25, IMD Says
Image: PlaneMad / Wikimedia Commons
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for seven Kerala districts on Sunday, 25 October, as thundershowers continue across the state under the northeast monsoon. Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad are on the list, according to the IMD’s district warnings reported by Onmanorama. Friday, 23 October, carries a yellow alert for all 14 districts.
Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasaragod Get Orange First
Saturday, 24 October, brings an orange alert for Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod, with yellow alerts for the remaining districts. An orange alert means heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places; Down To Earth, citing the IMD, put that band at 115.6 to 204.4 mm in 24 hours for Kerala, Mahe and Tamil Nadu. The IMD’s heavy rainfall warning for Kerala runs till 27 October.
The IMD has listed waterlogging, poor visibility, traffic disruption, fallen trees, damage to power lines and kutcha houses, crop and vegetable losses, and landslides or mudslides in hilly districts among the risks. Lightning in open areas is a danger to people and cattle.
Fishermen Told to Stay Ashore Till October 25
Squally weather with winds of 35 to 45 km/h, gusting to 55 km/h, is forecast along and off the Kerala coast, and fishermen have been advised not to go to sea till 25 October. The Gulf of Mannar and the Comorin area carry the same wind warning. No school closures in Kerala had been announced in the reports reviewed.
Farmers in heavy-rain areas are advised to keep field drainage clear and protect harvested produce, and the IMD asks people to avoid open spaces, isolated trees and electricity poles during thunderstorms.
Wet Spell Extends Beyond the Weekend
Rain is not expected to ease before the IMD’s warning period ends on 27 October. Neighbouring Tamil Nadu is in the same spell; see Chennai Rain Shuts Schools in Five Districts, and more forecasts are on the Weather Updates page.
Source: IMD Thiruvananthapuram district warning. Also based on reporting by Onmanorama and Down To Earth.
Image: PlaneMad / Wikimedia Commons (file photo).
