Kerala rain update: Red alert in 11 districts; popular tourist spots, schools and colleges closed

Kalpetta (Image: Kerala Tourism)

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for 11 out of the 14 districts in Kerala for Monday due to heavy rain. Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, and Alappuzha districts are under orange alert.

The IMD said heavy to very heavy rainfall will continue in the state for this week, TOI reported. The depression over Madhya Maharashtra weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area. It is likely to move slowly eastwards and weaken gradually. A low-pressure area is likely to form over the west-central and adjoining North Bay of Bengal around May 27. Strong westerlies are likely to continue at lower tropospheric levels over Kerala and the Lakshadweep region during the next seven days.

Rain continued to cause trouble across the state on Sunday. In Thrissur, a tree fell on a train at Cheruthuruthi around 10 am, halting train services for about an hour, according to a report by Deccan Herald.

In Vadakara, Kozhikode, a 64-year-old man named Pavithran died after a tree fell on him while he was riding a two-wheeler. Reports of trees being uprooted came in from many parts of Kerala.

Flooding was also reported in several areas, including Wayanad. People living in risky locations are being moved to safer places, the report added.

In Kochi, a high-rise apartment building suffered damage after one of its pillars partially collapsed. Around 20 families were moved out, and experts are checking the building’s safety.

Tragedy struck in Kodenchery, on the outskirts of Kozhikode, where two brothers died from an electric shock after a tree fell on a power line. In Idukki, a woman died when a tree fell on her, and in Palakkad, another person drowned.

According to a report by The Hindu, the district collectors of Kozhikode and Wayanad have declared a holiday for educational institutions on Monday, while the day-off does not apply to prior scheduled examinations such as the university exams and tests conducted by the Kerala Public Service Commission.

The Kerala government has also banned fishers from putting their boats out to sea. It has closed beaches, hills, and forest resorts to tourists until further notice. The National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has warned of high waves, tidal surges, and sea erosion.

All tourist destinations in Kasaragod district have been shut, while tourist centres in Kannur will remain closed until May 27. In Wayanad, the popular En Ooru tribal village has been closed to visitors. Kozhikode district has imposed a ban on entry to riverbanks, beaches, waterfalls, and other water bodies. Similarly, in Idukki, access to tourist spots that offer boating, kayaking, rafting, and coracle rides, such as the Mattupetty Dam in Munnar, has been restricted to ensure public safety, Onmanorama reported.

The IMD had announced the early onset of the monsoon in the state on Saturday, noting that Kerala is witnessing the monsoon’s early arrival after a gap of 16 years.