Thrissur: The Thrissur district administration has declared a holiday for all educational institutions on Saturday, in view of the continuing heavy rainfall and rising water levels in rivers, reservoirs and dams.

District Collector Shikha Surendran IAS issued the order based on reports received from various taluks and the prevailing weather conditions, citing student safety as the primary concern. The holiday applies to all government, aided and unaided schools, CBSE and ICSE schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas, anganwadis, madrasas, tuition centres and professional colleges across the district.

However, scheduled public examinations and interviews will be held as planned and are not covered by the holiday order. The district administration has urged the public to remain vigilant, avoid unnecessary travel and strictly follow official warnings and advisories issued by the Disaster Management Department and the district administration.

The holiday comes as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for 11 districts in Kerala on Saturday. The districts under alert are Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod.

According to the IMD, heavy rainfall of 7 cm to 11 cm in 24 hours is very likely at isolated places in Kerala on July 4. The weather agency has also warned of strong surface winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kmph over Kerala and Lakshadweep on July 3 and 4, urging residents to exercise caution.