Heavy rains in coming hours, strong winds to blow, train services partially cancelled in capital city

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala is likely to receive heavy rainfall in the next three hours. Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts will receive heavy rainfall. Strong winds of 40 km per hour are likely to hit the state. Heavy rains caused extensive damages in Thiruvananthapuram. Boulders came onto the railway track at Irani near Nagercoil. With this, train services were partially cancelled. Nagercoil-Kottayam and Chennai-Egmore-Guruvayur trains on Sunday have been cancelled.

The side wall of the Maruthur bridge at TB junction in Neyyattinkara collapsed. The road on one side of the bridge also collapsed partially. The shutters of the Aruvikkara Dam were raised by 60 cm due to the rising water level. The shutters of the Peppara Dam are currently 80 cm high. It will also be raised by another 40 cm in the night.

A 24-hour control room has been opened in the district to deal with rain ravages. The district collector has informed to avoid unnecessary trips. A lightning alert has also been issued.

The Met Office has informed that a new low pressure will form in the Andamans in the next 12 hours. The low pressure area will reach the Bay of Bengal in two days. More caution is needed as orange and yellow alerts have been sounded and as there are chances of isolated showers with thunder storms and the hilly areas receiving heavy rains in the previous days.