IMD puts Kerala on red alert

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala has been put on high alert as torrential rains pounded many areas of the state on Sunday even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) sounded red alert in two districts and orange in six other districts.

Severe water logging is reported from port city Kochi and people living in low-lying areas have been shifted to safer places and district authorities have been asked to open rescue centres. Similarly, the government advised people not to travel to hilly areas for a couple of days. The government has put police and revenue authorities on high alert.

"We are on high alert and made all arrangements to meet any emergency," said state revenue minister K Rajan. He said water levels in all dams are under permissible level and there is no need for any panic.

Red alert will continue in Idukki and Ernakulam districts till Monday and orange alerts in Pathanamthitta, Alapuzha, Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, Thrissur and Malappuram districts.

A red alert indicates heavy to extremely heavy rains of over 20 cm in 24 hours and orange refers to heavy rains of 6 cm to 20 cm and yellow alert means rainfall up to 11 cm. Usually, in the pre-monsoon period the normal rainfall is 213.7 mm rainfall but this time rainfall was 369.3 mm, an increase of 70 per cent, IMD statistics show. Since the state crossed pre-monsoon rainfall, authorities are bracing up to meet a heavy monsoon season ahead.

IMD has predicted the onset of south-west monsoon over Kerala, the entry point in the sub-continent, on May 27, four days in advance of normal date June 1. It said moderate to heavy showers with isolated heavy spell may continue over many parts of the state till May 21. Since the rain is followed by heavy winds and turbulent sea fishermen have been asked not to venture into sea.