Thiruvananthapuram: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for three districts in Kerala and an orange alert for three more on Tuesday, anticipating heavy rainfall. Meanwhile, a red alert remains in place for 11 districts on Monday.

Red alert has been issued for Kannur, Kozhikode and Wayanad, while an orange alert is in place for Thrissur, Malappuram and Kasaragod. Yellow alert is in place for the rest of the districts.

Red alert indicates the possibility of extremely heavy rainfall above 204.5 mm. An orange alert indicates the possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall (64 mm to 204 mm), while a yellow alert signifies the likelihood of rainfall up to 115 mm.

IMD had earlier issued a red alert for 11 districts in the state for Monday- Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Idukki, and Pathanamthitta. The remaining districts are under an orange alert. These areas are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall, ranging from 7 to 20 cm in 24 hours. The agency said that strong winds with speeds reaching up to 60 kmph are also likely in these areas.

Meanwhile, all educational institutions have been declared a holiday in 10 of these 11 districts on Monday due to a declared red alert, except in Palakkad. However, examinations that were previously scheduled will be conducted as planned.

The weather agency said that conditions are favourable for the further advance of the southwest monsoon into the remaining parts of the central Arabian Sea, more areas of Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, the rest of Karnataka, the west-central and north Bay of Bengal, the remaining Northeastern states, and parts of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim over the next three days.

Heavy rain has caused waterlogging and floods in many areas of the Kozhikode district. Four deaths have been reported, and 40 houses have been damaged over the last two days. 

Nine families from Manhacheeli in Vilangad, where landslides were reported last year, have been shifted to St George High School in Vilangad. Additionally, four families from Kavilumpara were safely relocated to nearby houses after the banks of the Moonnamkai Thodu (stream) collapsed.

The Kozhikode district authorities warned that the water level at Kolikkal in Poonoor Puzha is above the danger level, and at Kunnamangalam is above the warning level. People living along the banks of the river are advised to exercise caution. 

In  Idukki, the shutters of the Lower Periyar Dam (Pambla Dam) and Malankara Dam were opened on Sunday. People living near the Periyar, Thodupuzha, and Muvattupuzha rivers are advised to remain alert and take necessary precautions.

The State Irrigation Department has issued an orange alert for the Korapuzha river in Kozhikode. Yellow alerts are in place for the Vamanapuram river in Thiruvananthapuram, the Manimala river in Pathanamthitta, the Korapuzha river in Kozhikode, and the Kabani river in Wayanad district. People living along the banks of these rivers are advised to remain vigilant due to rising water levels. 

The IMD has also issued a warning for high waves along the entire Kerala coastline and has further prohibited fishing along the coasts of Kerala, Karnataka, and Lakshadweep.

Strong winds and heavy rain on Sunday afternoon caused widespread damage in Thodupuzha and its surrounding areas. Numerous trees were uprooted across several locations, with the worst-affected areas being the Kodikkulam and Karimannoor panchayats. In Wards 1 and 2 of Kodikkulam, especially in Illichuvadu and Thennathoor, large trees, including teak, mango, rubber, and jackfruit, fell across a stretch of approximately two kilometres, completely disrupting pedestrian and vehicular movement.