Heavy rains disrupt life in Kerala; red alert in Thiruvananthapuram
The weather agency also issued an orange alert for Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod districts for the day.
As heavy rains continued to lash various parts of Kerala, disrupting normal life, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday sounded a red alert for Thiruvananthapuram district in the evening. The IMD issued a red alert in Thiruvananthapuram for three hours due to the possibility of heavy rainfall accompanied by surface winds reaching 50 kmph.
Earlier in the day, the IMD said the monsoon was likely to arrive in the state within the next two days, with a possibility of widespread rain in Kerala over the coming week. It also issued an orange alert for Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod districts for the day.
Red alerts issues for various districts
Additionally, red alerts were issued for Kannur and Kasaragod from May 24 to 26, and for Malappuram, Kozhikode, and Wayanad on May 25 and 26. Red alerts were also issued for Pathanamthitta and Idukki districts on May 26. Furthermore, orange alerts have been issued in nine districts on May 24, seven on May 25, four on May 26, and six on May 27.
A red alert indicates heavy to extremely heavy rainfall of over 20 cm in 24 hours; an orange alert means very heavy rain between 11 cm and 20 cm; and a yellow alert indicates heavy rainfall between 6 cm and 11 cm.
The IMD also warned of strong winds along the coastal and interior areas, advising people, including fishermen, to take precautionary measures. Fishing has been banned along the Kerala-Karnataka-Lakshadweep coasts from Friday through May 27.
Meanwhile, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) reported the possibility of high waves up to 3.5 meters at various coastal locations on Saturday.
