Thiruvananthapuram: In light of heavy rain forecasts and alerts issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), all educational institutions in Idukki, Pathanamthitta, Kannur, Wayanad, Ernakulam, and Kasaragod will remain closed on Thursday. The holiday applies to all institutions, including anganwadis, madrasas, tuition centres, and special classes. However, previously scheduled examinations will be conducted as planned.

Additionally, the Kannur district collector has announced a holiday for educational institutions on Friday. 

The IMD has issued a red alert for Kannur, Kasaragod, Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Wayanad, Kozhikode, on Thursday, indicating extremely heavy rainfall above 204.5 mm. An orange alert has been issued for the remaining districts, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall (64–204 mm).

Due to heavy rain, Idukki district administration has granted permission to open three shutters of the Ponmudi Dam on Thursday at 3 pm. Each shutter will be raised gradually by 60 cm to release up to 150 cubic meters of water per second (cumecs) into the Panniyar River. Authorities have assured that the release will be carried out in a controlled manner to avoid disruption to daily life. While the controlled release is not expected to cause flooding in the Panniyar River, water levels may rise by up to 50 cm. Residents living along both banks of the river downstream of the Ponmudi Dam are advised to remain on high alert and take necessary precautions.

According to the IMD, the southwest monsoon has advanced further into parts of Maharashtra, the rest of Karnataka, most of Telangana, remaining areas of Andhra Pradesh, parts of Chhattisgarh and Odisha, and the west-central Bay of Bengal.

Rain havoc continues

Due to strong winds, a giant flex board collapsed onto a service road near the National Highway in Mokavoor in Kozhikode district on Wednesday night. No casualties were reported.

Night travel ban
District Collectors have also imposed night travel bans in several regions and regulated tourism activities as a precaution. In Idukki, travel has been restricted on the Munnar Gap Road and the Neryamangalam–Adimali stretch of the Kochi–Dhanushkodi National Highway from 7 pm until May 30. In Pathanamthitta, night travel to hilly areas is banned until June 1, and all tourism activities and quarry operations have been suspended.

In Ernakulam, the District Collector has ordered the closure of all tourist destinations under the District Tourism Promotion Council and the Tourism Department until further notice. Residents along the Muvattupuzha River have been advised to stay alert as two shutters of the Malankara Dam have been raised, increasing the water level.

Wayanad has shifted over 674 people, including 271 women from 188 families, to 17 relief camps due to persistent heavy rain. Sulthan Bathery taluk has the highest number of camps (eight), followed by Vythiri (seven) and Mananthavady (two).