Kerala rain: Red alert in 5 districts today, holiday for schools & colleges in 3
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Thiruvananthapuram: All educational institutions, including professional colleges, will remain closed in Kannur, Wayanad and Kasaragod districts on Saturday, following an alert for extremely heavy rainfall issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The respective district collectors issued the orders on Friday evening.
In Wayanad, however, residential schools will function as per their usual schedule. Tuition centres, anganwadis and religious study institutions across the three districts have also been instructed to remain shut. Pre-scheduled university and departmental examinations will be held as planned. The Kozhikode district collector has announced a holiday for all educational institutions in Vadakara taluk due to adverse weather.
Kerala is expected to witness intense rain activity until July 22, with landslide-prone regions like Wayanad on high alert. The district had reported two devastating landslides last year in Chooralmala and Mundakai.
The IMD has also issued a red alert for Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kannur on Saturday, and for Kannur and Kasaragod on Sunday. The Met department has forecast extremely heavy rainfall (over 20 cm in 24 hours) at isolated places on July 19 and 20, very heavy rainfall (12–20 cm) on July 21 and 24, and heavy rain (7–11 cm) on July 22 and 23. Strong winds up to 40–50 kmph are likely to lash isolated parts of Kerala from July 18 to 21. Fisherfolk have been warned against venturing into the sea along the Kerala, Karnataka and Lakshadweep coasts from July 18 to 22.
The IMD has sounded the following alerts across districts:
Red alert
- July 19: Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, Kasaragod
- July 20: Kannur, Kasaragod
Orange alert
- July 19: Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad
- July 20: Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki
- July 21: Kannur, Kasaragod
Yellow alert
- July 19: Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam
- July 20: Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram
- July 21: Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad
- July 22: Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, Kasaragod
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has urged residents to remain extremely cautious and follow safety measures, especially in vulnerable terrains and coastal areas.