Heavy rain: Orange alert in four districts, holiday declared for educational institutions in this district on Saturday

KALPETTA: Heavy rains are continuing to lash various districts in the state. In the wake of the heavy rains, Wayanad District Collector Meghasree DR has announced a holiday for all educational institutions in the district on Saturday (July 20).

The holiday will be applicable to all educational institutions, including professional colleges, Anganwadis and tuition centres. However, there will be no change in pre-scheduled exams and PSC exams in the district, the Collector said. The holiday is not applicable to model residential schools and Navodaya Vidyalayas in the district.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that isolated places in Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad districts are likely to receive moderate rain and winds gusting up to 50 kmph in the next three hours. The IMD also predicted that isolated places in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kannur and Kasaragod districts are likely to receive light rainfall accompanied by strong winds with a speed of up to 40 kmph. Following the rain warning, an orange alert has been sounded in Kasargod, Kannur, Wayanad and Kasargod districts today.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) research centre has warned that there is a possibility of high waves of 2.5 to 3.4 meters and sea incursion along the Kerala coast till 11.30 pm on July 20.