Thiruvananthapuram: Monsoon rains picked up intensity in Kerala, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue an orange alert for Kannur and Kasaragod districts on Thursday. Eight other districts are under a yellow alert. Kerala is likely to experience heavy (7-11cm in 24 hours) to very heavy rainfall (12-20cm in 24 hours) from June 13 to 17, with isolated extremely heavy showers (over 20 cm) between June 14 and 17. 

The IMD has also warned of strong winds and rough seas along the Kerala-Karnataka-Lakshadweep coasts, advising fishermen to stay ashore till Sunday. Strong surface winds with speed occasionally reaching 40-50 kmph are likely to prevail over Kerala on Thursday. The speed is expected to increase to 50-60 kmph from June 13 to 15.

Orange alert

• June 12 (Thursday): Kannur, Kasaragod
• June 13 (Friday): Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, Kasaragod
• June 14 (Saturday): Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, Kasaragod
• June 15 (Sunday): All districts

Yellow alert

• June 12 (Thursday): Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad
• June 13 (Friday): Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Malappuram, Palakkad
• June 14 (Saturday): Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam

A yellow alert indicates the possibility of heavy rainfall of 6–11 cm in 24 hours, while an orange alert denotes very heavy rainfall between 11–20 cm.

The monsoon, which arrived early on May 24, had caused widespread damage across the state before briefly easing up at the end of May.