Heavy rainfall alert issued for Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], May 20 : India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for heavy rainfall in the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kollam in Kerala and a red alert for severe rainfall in the districts of Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Alapuzha and Idukki untill Tuesday.
The districts, including Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad, have received yellow alerts for rainfall for today.
According to the IMD, recorded rainfall is up to 28 mm in the last six hours and up to 100 mm in the last 24 hours over a few watersheds and neighbourhoods of Kerala and Mahe, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal Met subdivisions.
IMD has also issued low to moderate flash flood risk likely over a few watersheds and neighbourhoods of Kerala and Mahe, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal Met Sub-divisions.
The capital city of Thiruvananthapuram is facing waterlogging due to the incessant rainfall that has battered the city district of Kerala since May 18.
As per the IMD prediction, the district will still receive rainfall for the next two days, with rainfall ranging from 6mm to 20mm.
Houses situated in the low-lying areas of the district are inundated by water. As the canals are overflowing, various parts of the districts are facing a flood-like situation.
Last week, IMD issued data, according to which the southwest monsoon is likely to hit Kerala on May 31.
"Southwest monsoon normally sets in over Kerala on June 1 with a standard deviation of about seven days. This year, the southwest monsoon is likely to set in over Kerala on May 31," the IMD said in a release.
The advance of the southwest monsoon over the Indian mainland is marked by monsoon onset over Kerala and is an important indicator characterising the transition from a hot and dry season to a rainy season.
As the monsoon progresses northward, relief from scorching summer temperatures is experienced over the areas, it added.