Heavy rainfall alert in Kerala today, schools shut in Tamil Nadu

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Indian meteorological department has predicted heavy rainfall in the state on Saturday. A yellow alert has been announced in Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram districts. IMD also predicted rain with thunder and lightning at isolated places in Kerala till December 2.

IMD has also banned fishing in the Kerala, Karnataka, and Lakshadweep coasts from December 1 to 3. A very intense depression over the Southwest Bay of Bengal is likely to strengthen into a cyclonic storm in the next six hours, so the climate is not deemed conducive for fishing.

According to the warning, strong winds with a speed of 35 to 45 km per hour and occasional up to 55 km per hour along the south Kerala coast and bad weather conditions are possible. A cyclonic storm named Fengal is likely over north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra coast. The schools and colleges have been closed in Tamil Nadu following the cyclone alert.