IMD issues five-day rain warning for Kerala; Orange alert in Kannur and Kasaragod

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a five-day weather warning for Kerala, predicting widespread heavy to very heavy rainfall across multiple districts. Sounding an intensified alert, the weather agency has placed the northern districts of Kannur and Kasaragod under an orange alert for today.

Concurrently, a yellow alert has been issued for nine other districts, including Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, and Wayanad, indicating severe weather conditions across a significant portion of the state.

The heavy weather conditions are expected to persist tomorrow, with the IMD placing 11 districts under a yellow alert. The warning spans Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod.

Precautionary steps and safety advisories

In light of the heavy rainfall forecast, disaster management authorities have urged residents to exercise extreme caution. Individuals living in areas highly vulnerable to natural calamities, such as landslides, mudslides, and flash floods, have been instructed to follow the directives of local authorities and relocate to safer regions if necessary.

The state government and emergency services remain on high alert to handle any contingencies caused by logging or sudden water surges in high-range sections.

Extended forecast across districts

The IMD has extended the yellow alert timeline across various regions into early next week to allow adequate preparation time for the public and local governing bodies.

Kozhikode, Kannur, and Kasaragod will continue to remain under a yellow alert on July 5. The rainy spell will expand significantly on July 6, bringing Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod under the yellow warning. By July 7, the weather alert will cover six districts, maintaining a yellow warning for Ernakulam, Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, and Kasaragod.