The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert warning of very heavy rain for three districts – Kottayam, Idukki, and Kozhikode on Sunday (18 August) and a yellow alert for the rest of Kerala, except for Thrissur and Palakkad, forecasting isolated heavy rain. According to a weather bulletin issued by the IMD on Saturday (17 August), a cyclonic circulation lies over north interior Karnataka adjoining Telangana, extending up to 5.8 km above mean sea level, tilting southwestwards with height.
Further, a trough now runs from cyclonic circulation over north interior Karnataka adjoining Telangana to Comorin area across Kerala and interior Tamil Nadu, extending up to 1.5 km above mean sea level. Under the influence of the system, the State is likely to receive fairly widespread to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorm, lightning, and gusty winds during the next five days.
Meanwhile, Agathi in Lakshadweep recorded the highest rainfall of 20 cm during the last 24 hours ending at 8.30 a.m. on Saturday followed by Kanjirappally in Kottayam with 16 cm, Poonjar with 15 cm, Laha in Pathanamthitta with 12 cm, Peerumade in Idukki with 11 cm, Minicoy in Lakshadweep and Neeleswaram in Ernakulam with 7 cm each.
