IMD issues red alert for Kerala as heavy rains trigger landslides, floods

Representative image

Continuous heavy rain continued to disrupt life across Kerala on Monday, particularly affecting the northern districts where rising water levels and flooding have forced many to evacuate.

Districts including Kannur and Kasaragod were among the worst hit, with floodwaters entering homes and forcing families into relief camps. In several low-lying areas, residents were seen wading through knee-deep water, trying to reach safer locations.

“Children and the elderly have already been shifted to relatives’ homes. Now we’re moving to a nearby relief centre,” one resident from Kannur said, adding that repeated waterlogging has made life unbearable, affecting school attendance and daily work.

An important road was submerged in Kakkad, halting all movement. Two-wheeler riders unaware of the flooding struggled through the waterlogged stretch.

In Panniyur village, four members of a family suffered minor injuries after a coconut tree fell on their house. They were taken to a nearby hospital and are recovering, officials said.

Authorities also reported incidents of cracked houses and collapsed compound walls in the region due to heavy rainfall.

In Kasaragod, rivers like Thejaswini Puzha have swollen dangerously, prompting officials to warn residents against venturing near waterbodies. Ten families were shifted to camps in the Vellarikund area for safety.

With fears of mudslides growing, the Kasaragod Disaster Management Authority temporarily halted vehicle movement on the National Highway between Cherkala and Bevinje, following minor landslides and red alert warnings from the weather department.

The southern district of Pathanamthitta also witnessed storm damage, where a man was injured after a tree fell on his house in Malayalapuzha on Sunday night.

Train services across the state were affected too, with several including the Venad Express and Malabar Express running behind schedule.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod, indicating extremely heavy rainfall. An orange alert remains in place for Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Palakkad.