Gustnado wreaks havoc in Thrissur; houses collapsed, power lines down

THRISSUR: Widespread damage was caused after a gustnado hit various parts of Thrissur districts on Sunday afternoon. The gustnado hit places such as Chenthrappinni, Chamakkala and Elavally by today afternoon.

Three houses were partially destroyed due to the gustnado. Several trees were uprooted. Locals said that electrical cables snapped after the trees crashed on them.

An orange alert has been declared in Thrissur due to heavy rain. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that isolated places in the district are likely to receive moderate rain accompanied by strong winds reaching up to a speed of up to 40 kmph in the next few hours.

The Collector has declared a holiday for all educational institutions, including professional colleges, tomorrow in the wake of the heavy rain and strong wind in the district. The Collector also clarified that there will be no change in pre-scheduled exams.

Meanwhile, orange and red alerts have been sounded in various districts tomorrow in the wake of the heavy rain. While an orange alert has been sounded in Thrissur and Kozhikode districts tomorrow, a red alert has been issued in Kannur, Kozhikode and Malappuram. Collectors have announced a holiday for educational institutions in Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Malappuram and Thrissur districts tomorrow in view of continued rain and strong winds.