Heavy rains prompt warnings and travel bans in several Kerala districts

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Authorities in Kerala on Sunday asked residents to be vigilant, especially those residing in hilly and coastal areas, as rainstorms lashed several regions of the state. The Meteorological Department has sounded orange alerts for four other districts, including Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, and Ernakulam, for these days, and red alerts for Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, and Idukki districts for Sunday and Monday.

Per the PTI report, up to 1 pm on Sunday, the Met Office forecasted thunderstorms with moderate rainfall and gusty winds up to 40 km/h in one or two locations in the Kerala districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Kannur, and Kasaragod. Travelling across the district's mountainous parts at night is prohibited as of Sunday until the red and orange alerts are cancelled, according to an order issued by the Idukki District Collector.

"Strict instructions have been issued to the District Superintendent of Police, Sub Divisional Magistrates, Regional Transport Officers, and Tehsildars to implement the ban effectively," an official statement was told to the PTI. Due to the forecast for heavy rain, mining activities have been banned in Ernakulam and Kottayam districts.

On Saturday night, Thiruvananthapuram's southern region had a lot of rain, which caused waterlogging in the city and its suburbs and disrupted daily life. News outlets displayed images that revealed certain areas had flooded homes and businesses. Numerous locations have experienced worsening waterlogging as a result of the Smart City Road's incompleteness. Canals that cut through the capital city and its suburbs overflowed in several places.

The affected people alleged that the lack of pre-monsoon cleaning of canals and drainage systems was the reason for the waterlogging in the capital city and its suburbs.

(With Inputs from PTI)