 "Heavy rains lash Kerala; 'Orange Alert' sounded for 6 districts")
Incessant rains lashed several parts of Kerala since November 12 night, causing water-logging in low lying areas and minor landslips in high ranges as weatherman sounded an 'orange alert' for six districts predicting very heavy rainfall there on Saturday.
Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall was predicted in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Idukki districts. An 'yellow alert' warning heavy rainfall was sounded for Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Wayanad and Kasaragod districts. Thunderstorm coupled with lightning is also very likely to occur at one or two places in Kerala till November 16, an IMD statement said. Widespread destruction was reported in Thiruvananthapuram district, which is witnessing continuous heavy rains since last night prompting the district authorities to sound vigil for people. Mud fell on the rail tack in Thiruvananthapuram-Nagarcovil route and a portion of a bridge in the national highway in Neyyattinkara, a nearby suburb, was washed away in heavy rains. Rainwater entered shops in coastal hamlet of Vizhinjam as a canal there overflew.
The high ranges of the district especially Vithura, Ponmudi, Nedumangadu, Palode and so on are witnessing incessant rains. Meanwhile, the shutters of Aruvikkara and Peppara dams here were raised in the morning, the district authorities added.
A Red alert indicates heavy to extremely heavy rains of over 20 cm in 24 hours, while Orange alert denotes very heavy rains from 6 cm to 20 cm of rains. A yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 to 11 cm.