The India Meteorological Department on Wednesday forecast heavy rainfall across several parts of Kerala and issued an orange alert for Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts.

The alert is valid for three hours from 3.30 pm, with the weather agency warning of heavy rainfall and surface wind speeds reaching up to 50 kmph in the two districts.

A yellow alert is already in place for Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam, where rainfall between 7 cm and 11 cm is likely.

The rainfall is expected to bring much-needed relief to the state, which has experienced intense heat through most of April. The IMD has also predicted thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds across Kerala on Wednesday, with heavy rainfall warnings remaining in place from Thursday to Saturday.

According to the forecast, Kannur and Kasaragod are likely to receive heavy rain on Thursday. Pathanamthitta, Idukki, and Wayanad may witness heavy showers on Friday, while Kottayam, Ernakulam, and Alappuzha are expected to receive heavy rainfall on Saturday.