After a lull of two days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that heavy rains will lash across Kerala on October 20 and 21. In its weather forecast, the IMD has issued an orange colour code warning for many districts on these two days. Scattered heavy to very heavy rainfall which can be upto 204.4 mm has been predicted for the two days. As per the forecast, orange warning, implying authorities must stay alert on the changing weather conditions, have been issued for 11 districts — Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad and Kannur — for Wednesday, October 20. Meanwhile, a yellow colour code warning, implying authorities have to stay updated on the weather conditions, has been issued for Kollam, Alappuzha and Kasaragod districts. Isolated heavy rainfall is predicted in these districts.
For October 21, an orange colour code warning has been issued to Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad. Meanwhile, isolated heavy rainfall is predicted and yellow warning has been issued for Kannur and Kasaragod on Thursday.
Fishermen have also been warned not to venture into the sea on these two days. "Squally weather with wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph is likely along and off Kerala coast. Fishermen are advised not to venture into these sea areas during the period," IMD warns.
Meanwhile, Cheruthoni dam in Idukki, Idamalayar, Pamba and Kakki, four major dams among the total 78 dams in the state have been opened to release the excess water. Shutters of Cheruthoni dam, part of the Idukki reservoir in Kerala, were opened on Tuesday to create more storage capacity in anticipation of the heavy rainfall predicted in its catchment area over the next two days. Various district administrations have issued alerts to the people living downstream and shifted them to relief camps set up in the state.
(With PTI inputs)
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