KOCHI: IMD's heavy rain alert will continue on Friday as well with Ernakulam, Thrissur and Malappuram, Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Alappuzha on yellow alert. Coastal warning for state will be in force till May.
There's an isolated heavy rain warning for Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Malappuram and Kozhikode on Saturday.
Squally weather is likely to prevail along and off Kerala coast, south TN coast, Gulf of Mannar and Comorin area.
Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea. IMD said there will be substantial reduction in the intensity of rain over south peninsular region from May 21.
It was yet another day of heavy rain on Thursday with Kerala receiving an excess of 369% with Ernakulam (885%) and Thrissur (450%) topping the 24-hour rainfall chart. Ernakulam city and surrounding areas were inundated as water entered homes and traffic was disrupted in many places. People were forced to wade through flooded roads. Ernakulam recorded 12cm rain while Thrissur got 9cm. Kerala received 29.2cm of rain in pre-monsoon rain season against the normal of 11.5cm recorded from March 1-May 19, 2022.
Kodungallur received maximum rain in state on Thursday morning with 16cm. In Ernakulam, Aluva recorded the highest at 15cm, Palluruthy, Nileshwar and Perumbavoor received 14cm each while North Paravur got 13cm. Kochi's Naval airport and Piravom received 12cm each while Muvattupuzha got 9cm. In Thrissur, Peringalkuthu got 14cm rail while Chalakudy and Chimmony got 13cm each. In Kottayam, Vaikom received 11cm of rain while Kozha and Kumarakom got 7cm each. In Kasaragod, Vellarikund and Hosdurg each got 9cm.
Meanwhile, shutters of several irrigation dams were opened for power generation and removing excess water. Reservoirs on yellow alert - Malankara, Neyyar, Siruvani, Kuttiady, Karapuzha, Kallada, Kanjirapuzha, Peechi, Maniyar, Bhoothathankettu, Moolathara and Pazhassi - released excess water.
IMD in its climate assessment report (April rainfall) said in contrast to March 2022, northeast and southern peninsula, especially Kerala and TN, received scattered to widespread rain and thunderstorms on many days.
It is because two cyclonic circulations moved from southwest Bay of Bengal to Southeast Arabian Sea during the second and third week and north-south troughs prevailed from central India to south peninsula in lower tropospheric levels on many days.
