Heavy rains cause widespread damage in Kerala; IMD issues red alert for 8 districts

Thiruvananthapuram | As monsoon rains caused widespread damage in Kerala, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday issued a red alert for eight districts of the state.

The IMD issued red alerts for Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod districts for the day and an orange alert in the remaining districts.

It also issued a red alert for three districts -- Idukki, Kannur and Kasaragod -- for Friday and an orange alert for the remaining 11 districts.

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

Earlier in the day, the IMD said that due to a severe low pressure over the Bay of Bengal, the state is likely to receive heavy rainfall in some areas during the next few days.

It also said that there was a likelihood of thunderstorms with moderate rainfall and gusty winds of speeds reaching 40-60 kilometers per hour in some parts of the state.

Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) said that due to the heavy rains, water levels in various rivers -- Manimala and Achankovil in Pathanamthitta, Meenachil in Kottayam, Korapuzha in Kozhikode, and Kabani in Wayanad districts -- of the state were steadily rising.

It advised those living on the banks of these rivers to be vigilant.

The rains and strong winds as part of the monsoon season in the state continued to cause widespread damage with trees being uprooted, power disruptions due to electricity poles being dislodged and flooding of low-lying areas.

Heavy rains cause widespread damage in Kerala; IMD issues red alert for 8 districts

The uprooted trees damaged several houses across the state and the heavy winds destroyed crops in many parts, according to news reports.

In many parts of the state, including Wayanad district, hundreds of people were shifted to relief camps.

The monsoons had arrived in the state on May 24, eight days ahead of schedule.