Four dead as rain continues to batter Kerala

Southwest monsoon wreaks havoc in Kerala, causing deaths, extensive damage, and prompting IMD to issue alerts.

Four people died in rainfall-related incidents in Kerala as the Southwest monsoon rainfall continued to batter the State on Friday, causing extensive damage to property and prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to scale up alert levels over the course of the day.

The deceased included a 52-year-old fisher in Thiruvananthapuram whose body was recovered on Friday, two men aged 36 and 37 in Kottayam who died after their boat capsized, and a 39-year-old man who drowned in the Madhuvahini river in Kasaragod.

Efforts were also on to trace several people who were reported missing, including nine fishers who had gone out to sea in two fishing boats in Thiruvananthapuram district.

By Friday afternoon, the IMD had put eight Kerala districts on red alert for extremely heavy rainfall, while the remaining districts were on orange alert for isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall. IMD forecasts indicate that the intensity of rainfall is likely to weaken over the weekend and through the coming week. All districts are on yellow alert on Saturday for isolated heavy rainfall as per a 4 p.m. weather update.

Revenue Minister K. Rajan, speaking to the media in Thrissur, urged the people to remain alert in the days ahead. So far, 1894 people are currently accommodated in 66 relief camps across the State, Mr. Rajan said.

The IMD said strong Westerlies were likely to continue over Kerala and Lakshadweep region during the next two days. Fishers have been warned not to set out to sea till June 1 as squally weather prevails over the Kerala coast.

The southwest monsoon had set in over Kerala on May 24 this year. Kerala has recorded 111% excess rainfall during the period from March 1 to May 30, which is a “large excess” in IMD parlance.