Heavy rainfall lashed several parts of Kerala, particularly central Kerala, early on Saturday, prompting authorities to declare a holiday for educational institutions in four districts and issue weather alerts across the state.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert in nine districts and a yellow alert in five others, warning of widespread heavy rainfall.

In view of the inclement weather, district collectors of Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Malappuram, Wayanad and Idukki have declared a holiday for all educational institutions on Saturday.

The holiday applies to schools, professional colleges, anganwadis, tuition centres, coaching centres, special classes and madrassas. However, examinations and interviews scheduled earlier will be held as planned.

Orange alert in nine districts
The IMD has sounded an orange alert for Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Palakkad, Malappuram, Thrissur, Ernakulam and Idukki districts. An orange alert indicates the likelihood of very heavy rainfall between 12 cm and 20 cm within 24 hours.

A yellow alert has been issued for Kottayam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram, where heavy rainfall ranging between 7 cm and 12 cm is expected.

Rain causes widespread damage

Heavy rain has triggered flooding, waterlogging and landslides across several parts of Kerala, with Idukki, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta among the worst-affected districts.

In Idukki, a landslide struck Adurmala in Kudayathoor, sending debris crashing onto a house. A father and son trapped inside were rescued, while search operations are underway for the missing mother. The area remains difficult to access due to the challenging terrain. A survivor rescued from the landslide was shifted to hospital for treatment.

In Kottayam, the Mundakkayam Causeway Bridge was submerged following a rise in the water level, while severe waterlogging was reported from Erattupetta. A landslide was also reported near the Mankombu Temple area in Moonnilavu.

In Pathanamthitta, rainwater inundated the Ittiyappara bus stand in Ranni as heavy rainfall continued through the night. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation as rivers and streams remain in spate.