Heavy rains, winds lash parts of Kerala uprooting trees, causing traffic snarls, power cuts

Thiruvananthapuram: Heavy rains and gusty winds lashed several districts of Kerala in the wee hours of Wednesday, uprooting trees that caused property damage, traffic snarls and power cuts in various parts of the state.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted moderate to intense rainfall with winds gusting to 50 kmph in Idukki, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts during the morning hours.

Trees uprooted by the heavy winds disrupted train services via Kottayam and Alappuzha, the respective district administrations said.

Fire force personnel were sent to various parts of Kottayam district to restore traffic that was blocked due to falling of trees, the local administration said.

The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) said there was a possibility of waterlogging on major roads and poor visibility that may lead to traffic congestion.

Besides that, flooding in many parts of low-lying areas and river banks, damages to the power supply, partial damages to houses and landslides were also possible, KSDMA said.

On Tuesday, IMD had issued an orange alert in six districts of the state and yellow alert in the remaining districts for Wednesday.

An orange alert means very heavy rain (6 cm to 20 cm). A yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 to 11 cm.