Low-pressure area near Kerala coast; cyclone warning in Bay of Bengal

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A low-pressure area has formed in the southeast Arabian Sea off the coast of Kerala. As a result, Kerala is likely to receive light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds for the next five days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The IMD also warned that isolated places will receive heavy rain today (May 24) and tomorrow (May 25).

Cyclone warning in Bay of Bengal

A well-marked low-pressure area over the central west Bay of Bengal has strengthened into a depression over the central Bay of Bengal. It is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm over the central East Bay of Bengal by May 25 morning and into a severe cyclonic storm by evening on May 25. It is likely to make landfall between Sagar Island and Khepupara along the Bangladesh-West Bengal coast by the night of May 26, the IMD said.

Meanwhile, red, orange and yellow alerts have been sounded in various districts of the state today in the wake of heavy rainfall.

Red alert- Ernakulam and Thrissur
Orange alert- Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Idukki
Yellow alert- Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha and Palakkad.

The IMD has warned that isolated places in Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts are likely to receive heavy rains in the next three hours. It also warned that isolated places in Kottayam, Idukki, Thrissur and Palakkad districts will receive moderate rainfall in the coming hours.