Kerala's high ranges battered by rain; red alert issued in five districts

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Heavy rains, triggered by the northeast monsoon, continued to batter the high ranges of Kerala on Tuesday, flooding low-lying areas across the state. Most districts experienced overcast skies and intermittent rainfall throughout the day. The high ranges of Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur, Kozhikode, and the hill district of Idukki received widespread downpours. The Indian Meteorological Department issued an 'orange alert', forecasting hefty rainfall in Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, and Malappuram. Authorities declared a holiday for educational institutions in Idukki, Palakkad, and Malappuram on Wednesday, ahead of a 'red alert' predicting extremely heavy rainfall in these districts. The holiday applies to madrassas, anganwadis, and tuition centres in Malappuram. In Palakkad, residential schools, colleges, and Navodaya institutions are exempted, officials said. In view of the 'red alert', all water-based recreational activities in Idukki, including boating, kayaking, and rafting, as well as tourism initiatives in disaster-prone areas, have been suspended. Trekking and other adventure activities in hilly regions prone to landslides or mudslides must also remain suspended until the alert is lifted, authorities added. District collector Dinesan Cheruvat further banned all quarrying and soil excavation activities, except those related to disaster management operations, a statement said. A 'red alert' indicates heavy to extremely heavy rain of over 20 cm in 24 hours, while an 'orange alert' means very heavy rain of 11 cm to 20 cm.