Several cities in Kerala have been battered by heavy rainfall over the past few days. On Thursday, May 23, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red warning for two districts in Kerala, predicting heavy to extremely heavy rain. An orange warning was issued for eight districts, while the remaining four districts were given a yellow warning. The persistent downpour has forced residents in some areas to relocate due to rising water levels.
Warnings and Affected Areas
Red Warning: Issued for Ernakulam and Thrissur districts due to the forecast of heavy to extremely heavy rain.
Orange Warning: Issued for Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, and Wayanad districts, predicting heavy rain ranging from 6 cm to 20 cm.
Yellow Warning: Issued for Kannur, Kasaragod, Thiruvananthapuram, and Kollam districts, anticipating comparatively lesser rain.
The heavy rain is attributed to a cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal, which is expected to bring moderate rain with thunder and lightning to Kerala for the next five days.
Impact on Major Cities
Ernakulam: Kochi Infopark and other areas experienced significant water seepage. Roads and institutions, including hospitals, faced flood-like conditions.
Thrissur: Aswini Hospital was inundated after continuous rain for four hours, causing damages worth lakhs. Several parts of the city and the hilly region were severely affected. The district collector called an emergency meeting to address the water logging issues.
Thiruvananthapuram: Water stagnation was reported in the Chala market and other areas across the district.
Kozhikode: Several wards of Kozhikode Medical College faced water stagnation, and the Nadakkavu National Highway was damaged. Around 20 families from Nanmanda in Balussery were relocated, and four control rooms were opened in the district.
Warning Issued
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority warned that the rains could cause water logging on major roads, poor visibility leading to traffic congestion, flooding in low-lying areas and riverbanks, and uprooting of trees, which may affect the power sector. Residents in the affected areas are advised to stay indoors, avoid non-essential travel, and follow safety guidelines issued by local authorities.
