Kerala weather update: Orange alert in Ernakulam, yellow alert in 11 districts; winds wreak havoc

Thiruvananthapuram: Heavy rains and strong winds lashed several parts of Kerala on Sunday, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue an orange alert in Ernakulam district and yellow alerts across 11 other districts.

The IMD said the orange alert in Ernakulam indicates the possibility of very heavy rainfall ranging between 11 cm and 20 cm, while the yellow alert across most other districts signals heavy rain between 6 cm and 11 cm. Only Palakkad and Wayanad were not placed under any alert.

The adverse weather led to damage in some areas, with reports of property and vehicle damage due to falling trees. In Thrissur, a large tree branch broke off during strong winds and crashed onto a moving car, piercing its windscreen. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

The IMD has also forecast an early onset of the southwest monsoon, expected to reach Kerala by 26 May. It further warned of isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall across parts of the state between 28 May and 3 June.