Kerala rains: Waterlogging throws life out of gear in Kochi, Orange alert in 12 districts

Thrissur: Kerala has been experiencing heavy rainfall for the past few days and it has disrupted disrupted normal life in certain places of the State. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an Orange alert in 12 districts of the State. A Yellow alert has been issued in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam. en shutters of Bhoothathankettu dam located 10kms away from Ernakulam’s Kothamangalam were raised on Thursday. The water level is expected to go up in Periyar river. Water level in the Peringalkuthu dam across the Chalakkudi River in Kerala’s Thrissur district is steadily rising amid the heavy rains here. An Orange alert has been sounded. Many low-lying regions in Kochi including MG Road, Valanjambalam, Panampally Nagar, South Railway Station, bus stand, Kaloor and Edapally were inundated. The inroads to coastal areas like Vypin and Njarakkal have been flooded. The dam shutters will be raised if the water level rises by one more metre, District Collector V Kumar has informed. Meanwhile, a tree fell over a house in Nedumkandam of Idukki district following the high-speed winds and heavy rains there. There are no casualties. The electric lines in the area have been disconnected.

The Kozhikode-Kannur National Highway was blocked after a tree fell over in the Poyilkaavil area. Vehicles have been stuck in a roadblock for the past four hours following this.

A similar road blockade on the National Highway in Koyilandi lasted for over six and half hours. Ernakulam district witnessed waterlogging after the continuous rainfall on Wednesday night.