IMD forecasts heavy rains in Kerala, puts Wayanad and Kannur districts on red alert 

IMD forecasts heavy rains in Kerala, red alert in Wayanad and Kannur, disruptions in air, road, rail traffic.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast heavy rains in central and northern Kerala on July 18. It has declared a red alert for Wayanad and Kannur districts. The IMD has placed Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Idukki and Kottayam districts under orange alert.

The IMD has said that Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram would also receive widespread rains and declared a yellow alert in these districts.

The heavy rains have thrown life out of gear in several parts of Kerala. The government has declared a holiday for educational institutions in at least seven districts. Inundation has rendered several arterial roads largely impassable.

Heavy rains disrupted air, road, and rail traffic in several parts of the State. Due to low visibility, air traffic control diverted a Kannur-bound flight from Kuwait to the Kochi airport.

The IMD has also warned of turbulent seas and tidal surges and cautioned fishermen against going out to sea. The Railways have cancelled at least 10 trains. In several tracks, trains were running slow due to inundation.

The Kerala government has moved an estimated 60,000 people to relief camps and alerted National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams in natural disaster-prone areas.

The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) declared an alert after heavy rains toppled a few high-tension masts passing through the Kappad beach locality in Kozhikode. Several high-tension wires broke in the inclement weather.