Kerala Braces for Intense Rainfall: IMD Issues Alerts Across the State

Severe Weather Warnings in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala is set to experience heavy rainfall as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red and orange alerts for several districts over the coming days.

A red alert has been declared for Kannur and Kasaragod, while an orange alert is in effect for the other 12 districts today.

For Sunday, the IMD has issued a red alert for five districts and an orange alert for nine others.

On Monday, 11 districts will be under a red alert, with the remaining three under an orange alert.

The IMD confirmed that the monsoon has arrived in Kerala, marking the earliest onset since 2009.

This year's monsoon arrived eight days ahead of the usual schedule, with the last early onset recorded on May 23, 2009.

The last time the monsoon started this early was on May 19, 1990, following 1975.

Strong winds and heavy overnight rains have caused trees to fall, electricity poles to topple, crops to be damaged, and roads to become waterlogged across the state.

The fallen trees and broken branches have also led to damage to homes in various areas.

In a morning statement, state Revenue Minister K Rajan noted that these conditions indicate an early monsoon onset.

He mentioned that the heaviest rainfall is expected in districts north of Kozhikode, Idukki, and Pathanamthitta.

Speaking to a TV channel, the minister remarked that the strong winds experienced overnight were characteristic of monsoon conditions.

The IMD had previously announced that the monsoon would reach the state within two days.

Rajan warned that some areas might experience sudden, heavy rainfall, potentially leading to flash floods and landslides.

He assured that authorities are prepared to manage these situations and the monsoon's impact.

Instructions have been sent to all District Collectors regarding monsoon readiness, and Rajan plans to hold an online meeting to evaluate the situation in each district.

He urged the public to exercise caution due to the heavy rains and to travel only to safe areas.

Additionally, he advised against sharing unverified information about the weather on social media.

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