Heavy Rain Triggers Mudslides; Red Alert Issued in Four Districts

Thiruvananthapuram: Continuous heavy rainfall across Kerala on Thursday led to minor landslides and flooding in parts of Kozhikode district, along with widespread waterlogging in low-lying areas and rising river levels in several regions.

In Kasaragod, rivers including Uppala, Manjeswaram, Madhur, and Puthige swelled due to the persistent rain, prompting authorities to issue alerts to residents living along their banks. Similar advisories were announced for areas near the Korapuzha and Kuttiady rivers in Kozhikode, Perumba in Kannur, and the Kabani river in Wayanad.

With rainfall intensifying, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) upgraded the weather status in Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod from orange to red alert. Thrissur, Palakkad, and Malappuram districts were moved from yellow to orange alert.

A red alert signifies the likelihood of extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 20 cm in a 24-hour period. An orange alert indicates very heavy rainfall ranging from 11 to 20 cm, while a yellow alert signals rainfall between 6 and 11 cm.

Further, the IMD issued red alerts for Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod for the next three days. Kozhikode is under red alert on July 19 and 20, and Malappuram will be on red alert on July 20.