Kerala: Heavy Rains Cause Flooding In Several Areas, Orange Alert In 4 Districts

In Palakkad, a school bus overturned into a canal due to the heavy rains but all the children were rescued without injuries.

Recent heavy rains have led to landslides, property damage, road waterlogging, and flooding of farmlands.

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Heavy rains continued to batter several parts of Kerala, particularly the hilly areas of the northern Malabar districts, causing significant disruption to daily life on Thursday. The incessant downpour resulted in flooding, uprooted trees, property damage, and minor landslides across the northern districts of Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue a red alert for the day.

The district administrations in Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod declared a holiday for educational institutions on Friday, July 19, as a precautionary measure. In Palakkad, a school bus overturned into a canal due to the heavy rains but all the children were rescued without injuries. In Kozhikode, visuals showed school children traveling in a jeep partially submerged in waterlogged roads, as per a report on PTI.

In Kannur, authorities relocated 80 people to camps and moved 71 families to the homes of relatives. The district reported extensive property damage, with 13 houses completely destroyed and 242 partially damaged. There were also instances of walls collapsing and damaging nearby vehicles. Similar reports of property damage came from Thrissur and Ernakulam districts. Tragically, a wild elephant in Ernakulam was swept away and died while attempting to cross a river.

Wayanad Rescue Operation

Wayanad saw heavy rains causing the partial damage of over 29 houses and the displacement of over 1,000 people to 22 relief camps.

In a rescue operation, police and rescue teams saved 400 passengers stranded in floodwaters on the Kozhikode-Bengaluru NH 766. The late-night mission, which included the coordinated efforts of the Fire Force, police from Sultan Bathery, forest department staff, and local residents, took more than three hours and concluded at 3 AM, according to a report on Manorama. The rescued individuals were traveling in more than 25 vehicles, including KSRTC buses and private cars.

IMD Predictions and Precautions

The IMD has extended its warnings, issuing an orange alert for four other districts of Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod in the state and a yellow alert for five districts. A red alert indicates extremely heavy rain exceeding 20 cm in 24 hours, an orange alert signifies very heavy rain between 6 cm and 20 cm, and a yellow alert means heavy rain between 6 cm and 11 cm. The IMD also forecast moderate rainfall and gusty winds of up to 50 km/h in several districts, including Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod.

Recent heavy rains have led to landslides, property damage, road waterlogging, and flooding of farmlands. The Indian National Center for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has warned of 2.5 to 3.4-meter-high waves and storm surges along the Kerala coast, particularly in Kannur and Kasaragod. Fishermen and coastal residents in these areas have been advised to exercise extreme caution, keep their vessels safely moored, and avoid visiting the beaches.