The IMD also predicted medium to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunder and lightning in the state for the next 5 days.
Waterlogging in Thiruvananthapuram on 15 October. (X)
The southwest monsoon, which usually winds up by the end of September, continues to linger with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting medium to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunder and lightning in Kerala for the next five days.
The IMD said the rains are due to the presence of cyclonic circulations over the Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep.
The IMD has also predicted heavy rains in some parts of Kerala on Tuesday, 17 October.
It also said thunderstorms with light to moderate rainfall and gusty winds were likely to occur at one or two places in the Kasaragod district of the state during the day.
#Kerala under the monsoon spell! Urumi and Chemberi lead with 11 cm, followed by Manjeri and Munderi at 7 cm each. Stay iinformed! pic.twitter.com/RWLzA1zgm4
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) October 17, 2023
The heavy rainfall in the last few days had waterlogged and flooded many parts of Kerala, especially in the southernmost district of Thiruvananthapuram and the capital city.
On Sunday, 15 October, More than 550 people in Thiruvananthapuram were shifted to 17 relief centres and the disaster response force personnel were seen shifting residents from low-lying areas. Almost all rivers and canals in the district were overflowing. No casualty has been reported.
A flood alert was issued for people living on the banks of Karamana, Neyyar, and Vamanapuram rivers.
Water entered the houses in the Technopark Colony at Kazhakkoottam, a suburb of Thiruvananthapuram, and people were evacuated to safety.
Television reports said hundreds of houses in the district were inundated and some areas reported incidents of landslides.
Water had receded from many parts of the district on Monday.
However, water did not recede from some areas such as the Kochuveli pit line in Thiruvananthapuram, leading to rescheduling and delaying of trains.
A pit line is a track at a station where train coaches are inspected and where repairs and maintenance work are carried out before a journey.
The Thiruvananthapuram Central-New Delhi Kerala Express, which was scheduled to leave the state capital at 12:30 pm on Monday, was rescheduled to depart at 7:35 pm as water did not recede at the Kochuveli pit line after the heavy rains, the railways said.
In view of the flooding and water-logging in parts of the state, the government had on Monday, 16 October, advised extreme caution against the spread of infectious diseases in areas flooded due to the rains.
Following a review meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, the minister said that as the water recedes from the flooded and waterlogged areas, there is a chance of the spread of infectious diseases, such as leptospirosis — which is caused by contact with water or soil contaminated with the urine of animals such as rats.
It had directed that surveillance in the districts be strengthened and awareness activities be intensified, apart from ensuring the availability of medicines.
Residents of flooded areas and those involved in rescue operations should take doxycycline tablets as prescribed by health professionals for the prevention of leptospirosis infection, it had said.
(With PTI inputs)
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