KERALA PUT ON HIGH ALERT AS HEAVY RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS DISRUPT LIFE

Heavy thunderstorms hit many parts of Keralam on Thursday due to a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal, prompting weather authorities to issue strict alerts.

Alerts and Weather

The India Meteorological Department placed Ernakulam, Thrissur, Malappuram, and Kozhikode under an orange alert for Thursday. The remaining districts are under a yellow alert for heavy rain over the next 24 hours. The eastern ghat regions, southern Keralam, and parts of Central Travancore received heavy overnight rain on Wednesday, causing waterlogging and disrupting normal life.

Train Services Hit

Minor landslips happened along the Thiruvananthapuram-Nagercoil railway section near Parassala railway station. These landslips disrupted train services, leading to several trains being delayed or rescheduled. Services were expected to get back to normal along the affected route by 10 a.m.

Next Weather System

Another low-pressure area is likely to form over the southeast and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal around October 23. This upcoming system is expected to move northwestwards, increase moisture flow to peninsular India, and bring widespread rainfall, lightning, and gusty winds to Keralam from October 23 to 25.

Context

Low-pressure areas over the Bay of Bengal frequently pull moisture toward southern India during this season, creating favorable conditions for heavy downpours and thunderstorms. Weather departments issue orange and yellow warnings to help disaster management teams and the public prepare for risks like waterlogging and landslips in vulnerable zones.