IMD issues red alert for Pathanamthitta and Idukki districts in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday issued a red alert for Pathanamthitta and Idukki districts in Kerala, predicting extremely heavy rainfall on May 22.

These districts already have orange alerts in place and are expected to see very heavy rainfall in isolated areas, it said.

Earlier in the day, the IMD had withdrawn red alerts for Pathanamthitta, Idukki, and Kottayam districts but issued new warnings due to the severe weather being predicted.

The IMD issued an orange alert for eight districts, including the capital Thiruvananthapuram, which has been experiencing widespread rainfall.

Additionally, a yellow alert was issued for six northern districts: Palakkad, Kozhikode, Kannur, Malappuram, Wayanad, and Kasaragod.

As heavy rains pose potential hazards, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has advised people to be vigilant.

A red alert indicates heavy to extremely heavy rain of over 20 cm in 24 hours, while an orange alert means very heavy rain of 11 cm to 20 cm, and a yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 cm and 11 cm.

Meanwhile, a 66-year-old woman died after a portion of the wall of her under-demolished house collapsed over her due to intense rain in Pothencode here this morning, police said.