Kerala braces for severe weather: IMD issues orange alert for seven districts amid heavy rain, flooding

Heavy rains battered several districts in Kerala on Friday, causing waterlogging on roads and traffic disruptions across the southern state. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for seven districts, for the second time in 10 days in Kerala.

The districts under an orange alert are Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod. Additionally, a yellow alert was also issued for the remaining districts, with the exception of Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam.

The weather agency also forecasted thunderstorms with heavy rainfall and gusty winds of up to 50 kilometers per hour (kmph) in regions of Kollam, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, and Idukki districts. Moderate rainfall and winds of around 40 kmph were expected in Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, and Thrissur.


An orange alert notes very heavy rainfall ranging from 6 cm to 20 cm, while a yellow alert signifies heavy rainfall between 6 cm and 11 cm.

In light of the heavy rainfall, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has urged residents in landslide and flood-prone areas to relocate to safer locations as directed by authorities. Those living near riverbanks and downstream from dams have been advised to stay vigilant and evacuate to safer places or camps as per official instructions.

Kerala saw a deadly landslide in Wayanad recently caused by heavy showers which claimed hundreds of lives and displaced many more. India has, in general, been witnessing heavy showers and NDRG teams have been deployed in Gujarat and Assam which have seen excessive floods.