Pathanamthitta/Idukki: Downpours continue unabated across Kerala even as the death toll from rain-related incidents rose to five.
The India Meteorological Department has issued Yellow alert in Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Malappuram, Kannur, Kasaragod and Kozhikode for Tuesday.
All educational institutions will remain shut on Tuesday in Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Kollam and Alappuzha districts. However, professional colleges will be functioning in Kollam. In Thiruvananthapuram district, Kattakada, Nedumangad and Neyyattinkara taluks have declared a holiday for educational institutions on Tuesday.
Kerala University and MG University has cancelled all its exams scheduled for Tuesday. The new dates will be announced later.
Thunderstorms coupled with lightning are also very likely to occur at one or two places in the state.
The Met Department had issued Orange alert for Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod districts on Monday. A Yellow alert was in place for Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Palakkad, Malappuram and Wayanad districts on Monday.
A red alert indicates heavy to extremely heavy rains of over 20 cm in 24 hours, while orange alert denotes very heavy rains from 6 cm to 20 cm of rains. A yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 to 11 cm.
Low-pressure area
A low-pressure area, currently lying over the central parts of Andaman Sea in the Bay of Bengal, is likely to move in the west-northwest direction. It could concentrate into a depression over the east-central and southeast Bay of Bengal by November 17 and reach near the Andhra Pradesh coast by November 18, according to the IMD.
A cyclonic circulation, meanwhile, lies over north Tamil Nadu and south Karnataka, and also over the south-eastern Arabian Sea.
The IMD has also said that a fresh low-pressure area is likely to form over the east-central Arabian Sea off the Maharashtra-Goa coasts by November 17. Due to the influence of the cyclonic circulation, widespread rain and isolated very heavy or heavy rainfall are likely in Kerala over the next two days, the IMD has said.
CM urges vigil
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in a Facebook post, asked everyone to be extra vigilant in view of the risk of landslides and other hazards due to the unseasonal rainfall.
“Authorities and the public need to be extra vigilant in the event of heavy rains in Kerala as part of the westerly winds,” he said.
He also asked people living in landslide and flood-prone areas to relocate to safer places or nearby relief camps as there is a possibility of widespread rains in the coming hours.
Intermittent heavy rainfall is continuing in hilly areas.
A landslip occurred at Valakam in Kottarakkara along the MC Road. Thirteen relief camps have been opened in Kottarakara and Punalur taluks.
Red alert for dams
The heavy rains have led to water level in various dams in the state rising to the red alert mark, prompting the government to open one of the shutters of Cheruthoni dam of the Idukki reservoir on Sunday.
Besides Idukki, red alert has been issued for Anayirangal, Ponmudi, Peringalkuthu, Kundala, Lower Periyar and Moozhiyar Dams also.
Heavy rains inundated roads in several parts of southern Kerala and landslides were witnessed in some parts. Visuals on news channels showed submerged roads in various parts of Pathanamthitta and Kollam districts.
Meanwhile, two shutters of the Kakki-Aanathodu Dam have been opened 60 cm high. In heavy rain continues in its catchment area, shutters of the Pamba Dam will also be opened.
The shutters of the Thenmala Parappar Dam were opened 1.20 m high. The water level in the dam, which can store water up to 115.82 m, rose to 114.92 m on Sunday.
Record rain in Kerala
The north-east monsoon has been vigorous over Kerala, with the state receiving record rainfall so far. Kerala received 833.8 mm of rainfall from October 1 to November 15. The previous record was 822.9 mm of rainfall received in 2010.
The north-east monsoon is normally spread over the 92 days from October 1 to December 31. But the excess rainfall this year was received in just 45 days.
As per the IMD figures of 121 years, the north-east rainfall of over 800mm was previously received only in 2010 and 1977 (809.1mm).