After a brief lull, heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms is likely to pound the State from Tuesday, triggered by a cyclonic circulation and a monsoon trough.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday declared red alert warning of extreme rainfall in four districts — Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, and Idukki — on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the rain gained strength in many places by Monday, battering parts of high-range areas of southern and central Kerala, keeping authorities on their toes.
Three picnickers from Tamil Nadu had a narrow escape on Monday when the car they were travelling was washed away in a heavy gush of water near the Meenmutti waterfall at Vithura in Thiruvananthapuram. The car was trapped when the water level downstream of the waterfall rose suddenly. Soon after the passengers were rescued by local people, the currents swept away the car.
The Thiruvananthapuram district administration has declared a holiday for all educational institutions on Tuesday in view of the extreme heavy rain forecast.
All types of mining activities were suspended in the districts apart from prohibiting travels other than essential purposes to the high range and coastal areas by the district administration. The shutters of 19 dams in the State were opened against the backdrop of the heavy rain forecast.
IMD forecast
According to a IMD weather bulletin, a north-south trough runs from north interior Karnataka to the Comorin area. Further, a cyclonic circulation already lies over the Comorin area and adjoining the Maldives and another system is likely to form over the eastcentral Bay of Bengal by Wednesday.
Under its influence, a low pressure area is likely to form over the westcentral Bay of Bengal during the subsequent 48 hours, bringing forth fairly widespread heavy to very heavy rainfall over the State till this weekend.
As per the weather models on Monday, orange alert has been sounded for eight districts on Wednesday and three districts on Thiruvonam day on Thursday.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea till Saturday as squally weather with a wind speed of 40-45 km/hr gusting to 55 km/hr is likely to prevail over the Kerala coast.
