Kerala rain alert: Orange alerts issued as possible Cyclone threatens more heavy rain
Kochi: Heavy rain continued to affect Kerala on Monday after a spell of intense weather caused deaths and damage across several districts. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast further rainfall and thunderstorms, while state authorities have stepped up monitoring following the incidents reported on Sunday.
Flash floods and landslides in Malappuram, Kottayam and Idukki left five people dead and two missing, according to reports. In Malappuram, a group of five people was swept away by a sudden rise in the Kottapuzha river. Two bodies were recovered, one person was rescued and two remained missing.
In Kottayam, a 35-year-old woman from Chennai died after a landslide near Velathussery while she was travelling on a scooter. Her friend was injured.
Two other people died in a mudslide at Kottakamboor in Idukki after they took shelter from the rain in a shed.
CM orders hourly monitoring
Chief Minister V D Satheesan ordered hourly assessments of the weather situation and directed district authorities to monitor vulnerable areas and take steps, including evacuation where necessary.
Disaster Management Authority officials reviewed the situation with the collectors of Kottayam and Idukki. A special disaster management team was also ordered to be deployed in the Nilambur-Amarambalam area of Malappuram.
IMD warns of more rain
The IMD's Kerala subdivision forecast issued on September 20 warned of thunderstorms and lightning on September 21, followed by no subdivision-level warning on September 22 and 23 and heavy rain again on September 24.
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority has also warned of isolated thunderstorms and rain and highlighted the possibility of strong winds over parts of the surrounding seas.
A developing weather system over the Bay of Bengal is expected to influence weather conditions across parts of southern and eastern India.
The IMD has separately warned of heavy rain and thunderstorms in several states, including Tamil Nadu, coastal Andhra Pradesh and parts of Karnataka.
Kerala's rainfall deficit
Despite the recent spell of heavy rain, Kerala had recorded a 28 per cent rainfall deficit between June 1 and September 17, according to the data cited in the reports.
The latest weather situation highlights the difference between overall seasonal rainfall and short-duration intense rain events, which can still trigger flash floods and landslides in vulnerable areas.
The immediate concern for Kerala is the combination of intense rainfall, sudden river-level rises and landslide risk in hilly areas. Sunday's incidents prompted authorities to increase monitoring and prepare for possible evacuations.
The weather situation is also evolving. The IMD's subdivision forecast currently shows thunderstorm activity for Kerala on September 21 and another heavy-rain warning for September 24.
The developing Bay of Bengal system is being closely monitored because its movement and intensification could influence rainfall and wind conditions across southern and eastern India. Kerala's disaster-management authorities have separately issued marine and weather warnings linked to stronger winds over the Bay of Bengal.
For Kerala, authorities are therefore focusing on hourly assessments, vulnerable locations, river conditions and possible evacuations, particularly after the deaths and disappearances reported during Sunday's flash floods and landslides.