Kerala weather update: Red alert in 3 districts on October 22; holiday for Idukki schools, colleges

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of very heavy rainfall across Kerala on Wednesday.

Three districts will be under red alert on October 22, including Idukki, Palakkad and Malappuram. The Met department has predicted that there will be more than 204.4 mm of rain in the next 24 hours in these districts. IMD warned of waterlogging in urban and low-lying areas.

The Idukki district administration has declared holidays for anganwadis, nurseries, schools and higher educational institutions in the district. However, pre-scheduled exams and interviews will not be postponed. The district collector said educational institutions should arrange online classes to make up for the study hours lost due to the holiday.

Orange alert was issued for seven districts on Wednesday, including Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Wayanad. Yellow alert was declared for Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kannur and Kasaragod. There is a possibility of heavy rains in isolated places with 115.6 mm to 204.4 mm of rain expected in the next 24 hours.

On October 23, Kannur and Kasaragod districts will be under orange alert while Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad will be under yellow alert. Heavy rainfall is likely at isolated areas on October 25 and 26.

On Tuesday, five districts were under orange alert, including Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram. The remaining districts are under yellow alert. 

People living in landslide-prone areas have been urged to move to safer places. Residents of low-lying areas where waterlogging occurs regularly have been asked to move to relief camps until notified.

India