Kochi : Schools to remain shut, following Orange alert by IMD

Heavy rains clash Kerala as the North East Monsoon gets a hold of the state. Following an orange alert from the authorities, all schools have been shut. Several parts of Kerala and Lakshadweep received heavy downpours on Sunday. A warning has been issued for Kerala and Lakshadeep for the next five days. 

Orange Alert issued 

Orange alert was issued by authorities for Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Idukki, Wayanad Palakkad and Malappuram districts on Sunday. According to IMD, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur till Tuesday.

“The low-pressure area over the east-central Arabian sea is likely to become a well-marked low during the next 36 hours," the IMD bulletin issued on Sunday said.

Orange Alert has been issued for Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, and Wayanad as heavy rainfall is expected on Monday. Districts of Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, and Kozhikode have been issued a yellow alert for Monday. 

Warning issued to fishermen

The IMD and KSDMA (Kerala State Disaster Management Authority) have also issued a warning to fishermen for venturing in the sea as wind speed is expected to reach 45-55 kmph and is likely to prevail over the southeast and east-central the Arabian Sea. According to reports, Flooding at Ernakulam South Railway station has disrupted train services.
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By-Polls disrupted

Early voters queued up at polling stations in the five assembly constituencies in Kerala to cast their votes. A total of 9.57 lakh voters are expected to participate in the polls being held in Vattiyoorkavu (Thiruvananthapuram), Aroor (Alapuzha), Konni (Pathnamthitta), Ernakulam and Manjeshwaram (Kasaragod). The IMD has also predicted thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds at isolated places in Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Pune, Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Beed and Osmanabad districts of Maharashtra on Monday.

(With agency inputs)

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