Kerala weather update: The India Meteorological Department has issued an “orange alert” for three districts in Kerala as the southern state continues to reel under heavy rain. The orange alert has been issued for Pathanamthitta, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram districts.
In addition to this, the weather department also issued a “yellow alert” for six other districts across the state. A red alert indicates “extremely heavy” rainfall of over 20 cm in 24 hours, while an orange alert signals “very heavy” rainfall between 11 cm and 20 cm. A yellow alert signifies “heavy” rainfall ranging between 6 cm and 11 cm.
Meanwhile, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) cautioned about strong winds and issued safety guidelines to help the public stay safe. On Thursday, the IMD issued a red alert for three districts and an orange alert for five districts in Kerala. Earlier on December 12, the IMD forecasted light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms in some parts of the state over the next five days.
Tamil Nadu also continues to reel under rain
Meanwhile, rain continued to batter several districts across Tamil Nadu also on Friday and the Thamirabarani river was in spate due to continuous downpours in the southern districts. The Thoothukudi district administration has issued a flood warning in the Srivaikuntam and Eral areas owing to the heavy inflows into the Thamirabarani River. People in low-lying areas have been advised to shift to safe places.
In Chennai, the Public Works Department (PWD) has issued the first flood warning for the areas near the Redhills and Chembarambakkam reservoirs, among the chief sources of drinking water for the city, following the dangerous increase in water levels due to incessant rain in the catchment areas.
(With inputs from PTI)
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