Kerala Rains: IMD Issues Orange Alert for Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, and Four Other Districts

With heavy rainfall wreaking havoc across Kerala, at least four people have lost their lives in different parts of the state. On Thursday, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for seven districts: Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, and Wayanad. Additionally, a yellow alert has been issued for the remaining seven districts: Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Kannur, and Kasaragod.

Relentless rainfall since Wednesday evening persisted into Thursday morning, leading to widespread flooding in numerous low-lying regions within Ernakulam and Thrissur districts. Within the Cochin city corporation limits, areas such as Infopark, Kalamassery, Vyttila, Kadavanthra, South Chittor, MG Road, and the KSRTC bus stand bore the brunt of severe waterlogging, resulting in damage to vehicles and infrastructure.

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In Thrissur, the premises of the Guruvayoor Temple were submerged under floodwaters. Additionally, drainage water penetrated Ashwini Hospital in Thrissur, leading to the spoilage of medicines and damage to a refrigerator. As the water levels rose to knee height, the hospital's casualty unit was relocated to higher ground for safety. Meanwhile, in Kozhikode, the Institute of Maternal and Child Health ward at the government medical college experienced flooding for the first time in half a century, as water breached the building's defenses.

According to forecasts from the Meteorological Department, heavy rainfall is anticipated to persist for the next three days, particularly affecting central and northern regions of Kerala.