Rain batters Kerala capital, rail traffic disrupted

Heavy rains battered the Kerala capital and adjoining areas overnight, disrupting train services and bringing low-lying areas in the city and its outskirts under water.
Some of the incoming and outgoing trains from the Central Station here were cancelled fully or partly as traffic was affected by waterlogging and caving in of earth on the tracks.
The traffic is expected to be restored by noon, Railway sources said.
According to IMD, Thiruvananthapuram city received 9 cm of rains in the last 24 hours ending 8.30 AM today. Widespread rainfall is expected in the next 48 hours and isolated heavy rainfall is also forecast.

The current spell of rainfall, which caught people unawares, was caused by the combined influence of an upper air cyclonic circulation over the Lakshadweep and a well-marked low pressure area over south east Bay of Bengal, IMD sources said.