The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for the Thrissur, Malappuram, and Kozhikode districts of Kerala due to heavy rains that have caused landslides, uprooted trees, and led to waterlogging. The heavy rainfall is a result of the early onset of the Southwest Monsoon in the state. The weather department has warned that these districts are expected to receive extremely heavy rainfall (above 204.4mm) in the next 24 hours. An orange alert has also been issued for Idukki and Wayanad for June 1 and June 2, indicating the possibility of heavy rainfall ranging from 64.5 mm to 204.4 mm. The IMD further predicts that isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall will continue over south Peninsular India for the next 4-5 days. Kerala and Mahe are likely to receive very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall during the next five days due to a cyclonic circulation lying over the southeast Arabian Sea off south Kerala and another cyclonic circulation over Coastal Andhra Pradesh. Strong westerly winds are also prevailing along the Kerala Coast. The IMD has also forecast thunderstorms with light to moderate rainfall and gusty winds in Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Malappuram districts. Moderate rainfall is expected in Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, and Kottayam districts, while light rainfall is likely in Thiruvananthapuram, Idukki, Kozhikode, and Kannur districts. According to weather scientists, Cyclone Remal, which recently impacted West Bengal and Bangladesh, may have influenced the monsoonal flow towards the Bay of Bengal, contributing to the early onset of the monsoon in the northeast.
Kerala Issues Red Alert as Heavy Rains Lash the State
