Kerala rain: Fisherman killed in Alappuzha, orange alert in 3 districts, yellow in 9

Thiruvananthapuram: The northeast monsoon has intensified across Kerala, bringing heavy rain accompanied by strong winds and thunder in several parts of the state, particularly in the central and northern districts. A fisherman was killed after his boat capsized in rough seas off Arthunkal coast in Alappuzha.

The deceased is Thumbolisseri Paul Devasthi (55). He went out for fishing early in the morning, and though other fishermen rescued him from the water, he later died, police said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has revised its rain alert for the state this noon. As per the revised forecast, an orange alert is sounded for Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod districts today. According to the forecast, heavy rain with wind speeds reaching up to 40 kmph, along with lightning, is likely to lash these districts. An orange alert indicates rainfall between 115.6 mm and 204.4 mm within 24 hours.

Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram and Wayanad are placed under yellow alert.

In Kozhikode, heavy rain triggered waterlogging in several parts of the city. Manorama News reported that the central market area was almost submerged due to incessant rainfall. In Kochi, the city and coastal regions have also been witnessing heavy rain since early Monday morning.

Fishermen warning
The IMD has warned fishermen not to venture into the sea off Kerala coast till Tuesday in view of the adverse weather conditions. The sea has turned rough as a depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclonic storm, ‘Montha’, which is expected to make a landfall in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday.

Yellow alert in districts
Oct 27- Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Wayanad
Oct 28 – Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Allapuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam

Cyclone Montha
According to the Meteorological Department, the deep depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal is very likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada on the evening of October 28.

The IMD, in its latest bulletin issued at 9 pm on Sunday, said that the deep depression over southeast Bay of Bengal formed earlier in the day moved west-northwestwards and lay about 790 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and 900 km south-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha).

"The system is likely to move nearly west-northwestwards and intensify further into a cyclonic storm over southwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal during the next 12 hours," the IMD said, adding that thereafter it is likely to move northwestwards, then north-northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by the morning of October 28.

The maximum sustained wind speed would be in the range of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph during the landfall time, Dr Manorama Mohanty, the director of the Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, said.

According to a PTI report, Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan on Saturday reviewed the preparedness for an impending cyclone in the Bay of Bengal and said the aim should be to ensure zero loss of lives and minimise damage to property and infrastructure.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture out in the sea and more than 900 ships have been shepherded to the shore.

While National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been kept on alert and will be mobilised at short notice, rescue-and-relief teams of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Indian Coast Guard, along with their ships and aircraft, have been kept in readiness.