The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heavy rains in the northern districts of Kerala till October 17. Palakkad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod districts are put on orange alert for October 14, Thursday and October 15, Friday. Idukki district was also put on orange alert for Friday. All these districts are on a yellow alert on Saturday. For the last few days, Kerala has been receiving heavy rainfall which has led to overflowing of rivers and water logging, due to a cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
"Fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rainfall is very likely to occur over southern peninsular India during the next four to five days. Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely to occur over coastal and south interior Karnataka, Kerala,Mahe and Tamil Nadu during the next four days," the IMD informed. The department has clarified that the heavy rains are due to the influence of a cyclonic circulation over east central Arabian Sea off the Karnataka coast and over east central Bay of Bengal.
Meanwhile, the IMD also warned fishermen not to venture out to the sea till October 15, as along the Karnataka coast, wind can hit at a speed of 40 km/hr to 50 km/hr. Fishermen are banned from moving near the Andaman and Nicobar coast, Gulf of Mannar and Bay of Bengal until October 16 due to heavy wind warnings.
The Kerala Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has also warned of thunder and lightning along with heavy rains until October 17. The KSDMA warned people living in unsafe places and in kutcha houses, and urged them to shift to safe places in the coming days. Since there are warnings over high tides, people living in coastal areas are also advised to be careful and shift to safe places if necessary, authorities added.