Monsoon Rains Intensify Across Kerala, Red Alert Issued in Three Districts

Thiruvananthapuram: Monsoon rains intensified across Kerala on Thursday, causing flooding in several low-lying areas of Ernakulam, Idukki, and Thrissur districts. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert in three districts and an orange alert in seven others as the state grappled with heavy downpours, strong winds, and rising river levels.

The IMD declared a red alert for Idukki, Malappuram, and Wayanad districts, warning of extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 20 cm within 24 hours. An orange alert, indicating very heavy rain between 11 cm and 20 cm, was issued for seven districts, while a yellow alert, denoting 6 cm to 11 cm of rainfall, remains in effect for other regions.

Heavy rain and strong winds brought down hoardings in several locations, including Thiruvananthapuram, uprooted trees, and severely disrupted daily life. The worsening weather prompted the state irrigation department to issue river alerts, citing dangerously high water levels across multiple districts.

Alerts were specifically issued for the Muvattupuzha River in Ernakulam, Bharathapuzha in Thrissur and Malappuram, Achankovil and Pamba rivers in Pathanamthitta, Manimala in Kottayam, Thodupuzha River in Idukki, and the Kabani River in Wayanad.

The continued rainfall and swelling rivers led to the flooding of residential areas in Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Idukki, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate and seek shelter in relief camps set up by local authorities.

In Wayanad, persistent rains in the Mundakkai–Chooralmala region caused the Chooralmala River to overflow, with muddy water eroding its banks near the Bailey bridge. The region remains on high alert, especially after last July’s catastrophic landslides, which claimed over 200 lives and destroyed numerous homes.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as Kerala braces for further rainfall in the coming days.