india

Updated: Jul 17, 2019 18:38 IST

The Met office on Wednesday warned of heavy rain across Kerala with the south-west monsoon is set to revive over the state after playing truant for more than a month. A red alert has been sounded for six districts and yellow alert for others.

Despite the weatherman’s rain warning many areas remained sunny on Wednesday. The Indian Meteorological Department ‘s (IMD) regional centre in Thiruvananthpuram predicted the state will receive heavy rains from July 17 to 20. A red alert was issued for Idukki, Malappuram, Wayanad, Kannur, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts. These districts are likely to get heavy rain fall of over 20 cms . There could also be landslides, the alert said.

Strong winds from westerly direction with speed reaching between 40-50 kms per hour are likely along the coastline and fishermen have been advised not to venture into sea, the IMD said. The monsoon will become active in the coming days and it will compensate the deficit, it said.

The latest warning has triggered hope and fear - rain deficit was 47 per cent this year - but last year the state had witnessed flood of the century which claimed more than 400 lives. In view of the alert chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has asked revenue officials and district collectors to maintain a strict vigil. Last year also rains were weak in initial stages but strengthened towards the first week of August.

The state disaster management authority has asked people living in places where flooding occurred last year to keep emergency kits containing important documents and other valuables ready. Emergency aid kits will also be distributed in landslide-prone areas, it said.

This year monsoon arrival was delayed by eight days - usually it keeps its date with first stopover in Kerala by June 1 but this time it hit the state on June 8. After initial downpour clouds moved fast to the west and north-eastern areas of the sub-continent but they will regain strength due to low-pressure along the western coast, the IMD said.