The Indian Meteorological Department has warned that Kerala will receive heavy rains accompanied by lightning and thunder from May 16, Saturday to May 20, Monday. The yellow alert has been declared in various districts of the state.

Yellow alert (Date and districts):

May 16: Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kannur
May 17: Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad
May 18: Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram

The Met department informed that in isolated places in these districts, there will be 64.5mm to 115.5mm rains within 24 hours.

There will also be gusty winds till May 20.

It is forecast that lightning, followed by rain will be expereinced in the State from 2 pm to 10 pm. In some places, it will continue until midnight.

The Met department added that the low pressure formation above Bay of Bengal will turn into severe cyclone. By Saturday evening, the intense low pressure area 1100 off Paradip and 1250 km off Digha may turn into severe cyclone on May 17 and very severe cyclone on May 18 with a speed upto 200km/hr.