Heavy Rain and Landslip Disrupt Rail Services as Northeast Monsoon Strengthens in Keralam

Heavy rain from the northeast monsoon has caused landslips and waterlogging across parts of Keralam, disrupting travel and train services. An overnight landslip near Parassala railway station derailed the engine of the Bilaspur-Tirunelveli Superfast Express in the early hours of Thursday, October 22, 2026.

Train Services

The incident happened between Neyyattinkara and Parassala around 2:19 a.m. No injuries were reported from the derailment. The disruption affected rail traffic on the southern Keralam to Nagercoil and Kanyakumari route, leading authorities to cancel, hold, or reschedule over a dozen trains. Work to clear the tracks and re-rail the engine finished by 9:30 a.m., after which regular train services started again.

Rainfall Levels

Southern and central parts of the state received very heavy rainfall. Mavelikara in Alappuzha and Venkurinji in Pathanamthitta recorded the highest rainfall of 14 cm each in the 24 hours leading up to Thursday morning. Kayamkulam and Thycattussery, both in Alappuzha, recorded 11 cm of rain each.

Weather Alerts

The India Meteorological Department stated that weather systems over the Bay of Bengal are driving the active monsoon phase. Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, and Kannur were placed under an orange alert on Thursday, while other districts received yellow alerts. Nine districts are under an orange alert for Friday, October 23, and heavy rain is forecast to continue through the weekend.

Context

The northeast monsoon is a key seasonal weather pattern that brings essential rainfall to southern India during the latter part of the year. Low-pressure areas forming over the Bay of Bengal often push extra moisture into peninsular India, creating heavy downpours and thunderstorms in coastal and hill regions. Weather departments issue color-coded alerts like yellow and orange to warn the public of heavy rain risks and potential local disruptions.