KOCHI: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert of very heavy rainfall for four districts in Kerala on Saturday. In its afternoon bulletin, the weather department issued heavy rainfall warnings of 11-20 cm for Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Idukki districts.
Six other districts including Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Thrissur and Kasargod are on yellow alert.
The sea will also be rough. INCOIS has issued high wave warnings in the range of 2.5-3.3 meters are forecasted till 23.30 hours of Sunday along the Kerala coast between Vizhinjam to Kasargod. Current speeds vary between 44-69 cm/sec.
Squally weather will prevail with wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph likely over Southeast Arabian Sea off Kerala-Karnataka coasts and over Lakshadweep area. Fishermen are advised not to venture into these sea areas during the period mentioned till Aug 11.
The southwest monsoon was active in the state with Vaikom (Kottayam) recording the highest of 12 cm followed by Alappuzha & Mavelikkara (Alappuzha) with 11 cm each. Places which have recorded more than 7 cm rainfall include Cherthala-10 cm while Mancompu (Alappuzha) and Palluruthy ARG (Ernakulam) received 9 cm each. The Kochi naval airport and Ernakulam South received 8 cm each. Kollam, Perumbavur (Ernakulam) and Kodungallur (Thrissur) each have 7cm each.
The state will continue to receive heavy rainfall for the next few days. Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur and Kasargod are on yellow alert for heavy rainfall of 7-11 cm for Sunday. Rainfall activity is likely to increase over Peninsular India from August 10 with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall likely over Kerala and Tamil Nadu on August 11.
