Red alert in three districts in Kerala on May 21

The IMD has advised fishermen not to venture into the sea till May 24.

Several areas in Thiruvananthapuram city faced waterlogging as summer showers lashed the state capital on Monday. A scene from Kallummoodu. (Photo | B P Deepu, EPS)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state continues to be on high alert as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for three districts --- Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Idukki --- until Tuesday. These districts are expected to receive extremely heavy rainfall of above 204.4mm. An orange alert has been issued for Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts till Tuesday. These districts are expected to receive rainfall between 115.6 mm to 204.4 mm.

Yellow alerts have been issued for Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod districts until Tuesday with an expected rainfall ranging between 64.5 mm and 115.5 mm.

The IMD has advised fishermen not to venture into the sea till May 24. As per the IMD forecast, a cyclonic circulation lies over north Kerala and its neighbourhood between 1.5 km and 5.8 km above mean sea level. According to IMD, strong westerly/south-westerly winds at lower levels are likely to prevail over Kerala until May 24.

Under this influence, widespread rainfall activity, including heavy to very heavy rainfall with isolated instances of extremely heavy rainfall, is highly probable over Kerala until Wednesday (May 22). On Wednesday, heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in isolated areas, followed by heavy rainfall in isolated regions on May 24.

The IMD’s forecast also warns of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds, reaching speeds of 30-40 kmph, likely to occur at one or two places in the state on Tuesday. Similar thunderstorm activity, accompanied by lightning, is anticipated at one or two places in Kerala from Wednesday to Friday.

Vehicles pass through a slushy waterlogged road in Kochi on Monday. As drains have not been cleaned, even arterial roads get inundated Photo | A Sanesh

Rain forecast till May 24

RED ALERT

• Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Idukki (till May 21)

• Pathanamthitta (May 22)

ORANGE ALERT

• Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Thrissur (May 21)

• Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Idukki (May 22)

• Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta (May 23)

YELLOW ALERT

• Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasargod (May 21)

• Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode (May 22)

• Kottayam, Ernakulam, and Idukki (May 23)

• Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kannur and Kasargod (May 24)