Kerala: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued ‘Orange’ and ‘Yellow’ alert in various districts of Kerala from tonight till October 25th. ‘Orange alert’ has been issued for Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, and Kannur. A “yellow alert” has been issued for the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Kasaragod. Kerala was ravaged by strong rain and accompanying landslides on October 15th and 16th resulting in the deaths of 42 people and the disappearance of 6 more in the south-central districts.
In the Palakkad district, Parambikulam received 12 cm of rain, while Palluruthy in Ernakulam, Enamakkal (Thrissur), and Mannarkkad (Palakkad) each received 11 cm and 9 cm of rainfall. Squally weather with wind speeds of 40-50 kmph is expected to continue over Kerala’s coast on Thursday, prompting fishermen to stay away from the water coast. During October 21st-25th, the department predicts widespread rainfall with isolated heavy falls, thunderstorms, and lightning over Kerala and Mahe, as well as Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal.
A fresh western disturbance is expected to affect the western Himalayan region, particularly Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, and Himachal Pradesh, during October 22nd-24th, and adjoining plains of northwest India between October 23rd-24th, according to the weather office’s latest updates. “On the 23rd of October, 2021, isolated heavy rainfall with thunderstorms, lightning, gusty wind, and hailstorm is probable over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab,” it added.