Heavy rains likely in 10 districts of Kerala as IMD issues yellow alert

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 01: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued yellow alert for ten districts in Kerala for next four days indicating heavy rains in the region.

The weatherman has predicted rains ranging from 6 cm to 20 cm at various districts till August 5.

The districts of Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod districts have been issued yellow alert.

The IMD website also indicates the formation of a low pressure area over north Bay of Bengal towards the later part of the first week of August and says its likely to intensify over northwest bay of Bengal off Odisha coast at the end of the first week.

Earlier, on July 29, a red alert was sounded in the high range Idukki district by the IMD with widespread extremely heavy rains predicted as parts of the state received heavy showers inundating low lying areas and partially disrupting rail traffic.

Kerala had been devastated by the worst floods in the last 100 years during August 2018 that claimed over 400 lives and razed several houses.

Last year, the state's northern parts were flooded again in August as heavy rains and widespread landslides wreaked havoc, claiming over 120 lives.

A large number of people including women and children had lost their lives at Kavalapara in Malappuram and Puthumala in Wayanad alone when landslides rocked the places.