Kerala Rains

Heavy rain, strong winds lash Kerala; fisherman killed as boat capsizes

Heavy rain accompanied by strong winds lashed several districts across Kerala on Monday, causing waterlogging in low-lying areas, officials said. In Alappuzha district, a fisherman died after his boat capsized near the Arthunkal coast following a strong wind. Police said that the deceased is Paul Devasia, a native of Arthunkal. 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 issued an orange alert for Kozhikode, Kasaragod, and Kannur districts, indicating the possibility of rainfall of 115.6 mm to 204 mm within 24 hours. A yellow alert has also been issued for Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kottayam, and Alappuzha districts, where rainfall of 64.5-115.5 mm is likely. The IMD further warned of strong winds across all districts in the state. Officials said heavy rain was reported in the northern districts since early morning, l

Heavy rains raise levels of dams, trigger mudslides in parts of Kerala

Heavy rains continued to lash parts of Kerala on Saturday leading to rise in water level of dams in Palakkad, Idukki and Thrissur districts. The rains also led to minor mudslides in parts of rural areas of Thiruvananthapuram district, causing damage to homes. Water levels in Walayar, Malampuzha, Moolathara, and Chuliyar in Palakkad dams approached their maximum storage capacities, prompting authorities to open the shutters by several centimetres. Water levels reached the 'red alert' status in various dams, including Ponmudi and Madupetty, in Idukki and 'orange alert' status in Sholayar dam in Thrissur. Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department informed that it would be releasing surplus water from the Periyar Dam. It said that two radial surplus shutters of Periyar dam R2 and R3 will be opened to one meter by 12 noon and five vertical surplus shutters V1, V2, V3, V4 and V5 will remain open at 1.5 meters The present discharge of water from the dam is 1780 cusecs (Cubic

Heavy rain lashes Kerala, Mullaperiyar dam shutters opened to release water

Heavy rains lashed several parts of Kerala on Saturday, causing inundation of low-lying areas and a rise in water level in reservoirs, including Mullaperiyar dam in Idukki, prompting authorities to raise its shutters to release excess water. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), light to moderate rainfall or thundershowers are likely across the state over the next seven days. The weather agency issued an orange alert in Pathanamthitta, Idukki, and Kottayam districts on Saturday. A similar alert was issued for Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, and Malappuram districts on Sunday. An orange alert indicates "very heavy rainfall" ranging between 11 and 20 cm in 24 hours. On Friday night, heavy rain in Idukki district triggered flooding in Kumily, Nedumkanadam and Kattappana, where water entered several houses and residents were evacuated overnight, officials said. Around 45 families were shifted to safe places on Saturday, authorities said. A parked van was washed away

Delhi enjoys pleasant weather as IMD issues red alert for Kerala, Karnataka

Delhi witnesses light rain and 'satisfactory' air as IMD forecasts extreme weather for Kerala and Karnataka and places several states under alerts

Monsoon rains getting stronger in Kerala, orange alert in 7 districts

Monsoon rains got stronger in Kerala on Thursday with some parts of Ernakulam, Idukki and Thrissur districts getting flooded and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing an orange alert in seven districts in the morning. The IMD issued an orange alert in Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts for three hours in the morning. An orange alert means very heavy rain of 11 cm to 20 cm. Meanwhile, continuous rains in Wayanad district's Mundakkai-Chooralmala region resulted in the Chooralmala River being in strong spate, with muddy water flowing forcefully and eroding the banks near the Bailey bridge. Last year in July, deadly landslides in the region had claimed over 200 lives and destroyed countless homes.

Incessant rainfall in Kerala uproot trees, inundate low-lying areas

Incessant and heavy rains continued to wreak havoc in various parts of Kerala on Sunday, widely uprooting trees, triggering mudslides in high ranges, and inundating low-lying areas. Though no major casualties were reported anywhere, sporadic damage to houses and vehicles occurred in various districts. A house was damaged in Kottakkal in Malappuram, a hilly terrain, due to a mudslide last evening following incessant rains, but the family escaped unhurt. Huge trees were uprooted and traffic was impacted for some time in Sultan Bathery in northern Wayanad and at Chungam in southern Kottayam district. Fireforce personnel sprang into action and cleared the road after cutting and removing the logs. Vehicles were damaged after an uprooted tree fell upon them in Nileswaram in Kasaragod, local people said. With heavy rains continuing in Thiruvananthapuram, authorities cautioned people about their plan to increase water release into the river from Neyyar Dam here. The four shutters of the

Hepatitis A outbreak in Kerala: What's causing it and how to stay safe

Over 3,000 hepatitis A cases and 16 deaths reported in Kerala; health officials link outbreak to contaminated water sources

Hundreds of people shifted to relief camps in Kerala as rains intensify

Hundreds of people were shifted to relief camps from low-lying areas of Kerala as flood entered their houses with monsoon rains gaining further strength in the state. Roads were submerged and inundation made life miserable in high ranges and neighbouring towns in northern districts of the state. Local people said swollen rivers and their overflowing tributaries were the reason for the subemerging of low-lying areas. In Kasaragod, overflowing Madhuvahini River washed way roads and flooded houses in many areas. People could be seen shifted to the first floor of their houses as flood entered the the ground floor. Flooding looms large over neighbouring Kozhikode and Kannur districts as well where heavy downpour has been causing widespread destruction. Wooden country boats and fiber boats were seen tied in front of many houses in Payyannur in Kannur. "Boats are kept ready as we are scared that we will be forced to move to relief camps if the flood water does not recede," an elderly m

Heavy rains to continue in Kerala due to low pressure in Bay of Bengal: IMD

As monsoon rains continued in Kerala, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday said that due to a severe low pressure over the Bay of Bengal, the state is likely to receive heavy rainfall in some areas during the next few days. The IMD also sounded an orange alert in four districts -- Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Idukki -- of the state. An orange alert means very heavy rain of 11 cm to 20 cm in 24 hours. It also said that there was a likelihood of thunderstorms with moderate rainfall and gusty winds of speeds reaching 40-60 kilometers per hour in some parts of the state. Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) said that due to the heavy rains, water levels in various rivers -- Manimala and Achankovil in Pathanamthitta, Meenachil in Kottayam, Korapuzha in Kozhikode, and Kabani in Wayanad districts -- of the state were steadily rising. It advised those living on the banks of these rivers to be vigilant. The rains and strong winds as part of the monsoon

Heavy rains lash Kerala; trees uprooted, houses damaged, rivers swell

A Huge number of trees got uprooted, houses were damaged, rivers are in spate, and shutters of some dams were raised in Kerala on Sunday with heavy rains overnight and strong winds continuing to lash across the state. Almost all districts of the state received widespread rains throughout the night and in the morning, causing intense waterlogging in low-lying areas and traffic snarls. In landslide-battered Chooralmala in Wayanad, incessant heavy rains caused concerns among local people the previous night. Water flow in the Punnapuzha River, crisscrossing through the Chooralmala-Mundakkai region, heavily increased due to continuing downpour, they said. "We are yet to recover from the shock of last year's landslide. We have not slept properly at night, as we were scared of seeing heavy rains. We feared something worse," an elderly local man told a TV channel. In Pathanamthitta district, a family had a narrow escape as huge trees uprooted and fell upon their tile-roof house near ...

Monsoon arrives in Kerala, Indian mainland sees earliest onset since 2009

Southwest monsoon sets in over Kerala, marking the earliest arrival over the Indian mainland since 2009; IMD forecasts above-normal rainfall and widespread showers ahead

Southwest monsoon has arrived, says IMD, as rains batter parts of Kerala

Overnight heavy rains and strong winds across Kerala led to uprooting of trees, dislodging of electricity poles and waterlogging of roads in several parts of the state on Saturday. As rains continued in various parts of Kerala, disrupting the normal way of life, state Revenue Minister K Rajan said that precipitation would be more in districts north of Kozhikode, Idukki and Pathanamthitta. The minister further said that the strong winds that lashed many parts of the state in the intervening night of Friday-Saturday appeared to be in the nature of monsoon winds. "It also indicates that the monsoons might arrive in the state earlier than expected," he told a TV channel. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had on Friday said that the monsoons will arrive in the state in two days. The minister also said that some places might receive rains in large amounts in a short period of time without any warning, leading to flash floods and landslides. He said that the authorities were pre

IMD warns of heavy rain in landslide-hit Wayanad, issues orange alert

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday issued an 'orange' alert, warning of heavy rainfall in parts of Kerala's ecologically-fragile Wayanad district, where landslides triggered by heavy rain killed over 230 people on July 30. The weather department predicted heavy rainfall (7 cm to 11 cm in 24 hours) to very heavy rainfall (12 cm to 20 cm in 24 hours) in one or two places in Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Kannur on Wednesday, and in Kozhikode and Wayanad on Thursday. A 'red' alert was issued for Lakshadweep, warning of extremely heavy rainfall (more than 20 cm in 24 hours) at isolated places on Wednesday. A global team of scientists said on Wednesday that the deadly landslides in Wayanad were triggered by an intense burst of rainfall, made 10 per cent heavier by climate change. The team, consisting of 24 researchers from India, Sweden, the US, and the UK, said that over 140 mm of rainfall fell in a single day on soils already saturated by two months of monsoon ...

Kerala landslides: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka visit Wayanad

Congress leader and former Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra visited the landslide-affected area of Chooralmala here and a hospital and community health centre in Meppadi on Thursday afternoon. After visiting the spot, Gandhi in a Facebook post said witnessing the scenes of disaster and tragedy deeply pained his heart. "In these difficult times, Priyanka and I stand with the people of Wayanad. We are closely monitoring the relief, rescue, and rehabilitation efforts, ensuring that all necessary assistance is provided. The UDF is committed to extending all possible support. "The repeated incidents of landslides and natural calamities are extremely concerning. A comprehensive action plan is urgently needed," he said in his post. After reaching Chooralmala, Gandhi and his sister -- donning translucent blue raincoats -- crossed the temporary wooden walkway built there, witnessed the construction of the Bailey bridge and walked around the area braving the rain

Wayanad landslides: Death toll hits 173, Army intensifies search ops

Military personnel on Wednesday intensified search and rescue operations in Kerala's Wayanad district where landslides have claimed more than 160 lives, with the Army saying that it recovered over 80 bodies and rescued nearly 1,000 people. Extremely heavy rain triggered the landslides in the hilly areas of Wayanad early on Tuesday, leaving at least 167 people dead and more than 200 injured. Another 191 people were missing. The Army has set up a Command and Control Centre headed by Maj Gen VT Mathew, General Officer Commanding, Karnataka and Kerala Sub Area, along with Brig Arjun Segan at Kozhikode for coordinating Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) efforts, a senior official said. Brig Segan carried out a reconnaissance of the affected areas in the early hours of Wednesday and guided the Army columns for further conduct of the rescue operation. The troops are conducting rescue operations along a six-kilometre stretch of landslide-affected areas. The troops forming

Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi leave for landslide-hit Wayanad in Kerala

167 people have been declared dead in the aftermath of the landslides as per the Kerala Revenue Department

Kerala landslides: CM Pinarayi Vijayan to chair all-party meet in Wayanad

An all-party meeting, chaired by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, will be held in the hill district on Thursday as search and rescue operations by various agencies and armed forces continue in the landslides-hit areas here. State ministers camping in the district, MLAs from Wayanad and political party leaders will participate in the meeting, the district administration said. Besides the all-party meet, Congress leader and former Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are expected to visit the relief camps set up in the landslides-hit areas of the district, according to a statement issued by the party. According to the updates of the death toll on Wednesday night, 167 people have died and 191 are missing in the landslides with over 200 injured. Of the dead, 100 have been identified, the district administration said. The rescue operations continued on the third day with teams of the army, navy and coast guard carrying out a detailed search at three locati

Kerala rains: Schools shut in 10 districts of state due to heavy downpour

The IMD has announced that Kerala is likely to experience severe rainfall over the next five days. Except for Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad, a yellow alert was given in all districts

Monsoon rains: IMD predicts heavy rains, gusty winds across Kerala today

With Southwest Monsoon continuing to dump rains in Kerala, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday predicted heavy downpour and gusty winds in various places across the state on Saturday. According the latest IMD update, thunderstorm accompanied by heavy rainfall and gusty wind speed reaching upto 40 kmph is expected at one or two places in Thiruvananthapuram district. Thunderstorm with moderate rainfall and gusty wind speed reaching 40 kmph is likely to occur at one or two places in Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Thrissur districts, it said. The weather department also predicted light rainfall at one or two places in all other districts of the southern state. Meanwhile, the shutters of Aruvikkara Dam in Thiruvananthapuram were raised by 25 CM on Saturday morning, district authorities said. The shutters may be further raised in the coming hours and those living in the area should exercise caution, they added.

Kerala receives moderate rainfall; IMD sounds orange alert in 5 districts

Various districts in Kerala received moderate rains on Wednesday, even as the weather office forecast very heavy rainfall in five districts of the state in the coming hours. As per the latest update of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam were placed under an orange alert, predicting "very heavy rains" in these districts today. The red alert issued in Ernakulam and Kottayam districts on Tuesday was withdrawn. At the same time, Thiruvananthapuram, Idukki, and Thrissur districts were placed under yellow alert, the IMD added. Moderate rainfall is expected at one or two places in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts, and light rainfall is likely to occur at one or two places in Palakkad, Malappuram, and Kozhikode districts in the coming hours, it said. Meanwhile, incidents of trees being uprooted and houses damaged were reported in various parts of the .