THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Meteorological Department has warned of heavy rains in the next five days in the state. Yellow alert has been sounded in Idukki and Ernakulam districts today. The hilly areas of South Kerala will receive heavy rain. Strong winds and thunderstorms are expected as the winds have intensified in the Arabian Sea. The next 24 hours will receive 64.5 to 115 mm of rainfall.

The meteorological office said that the southwest monsoon will reach the south-eastern Bay of Bengal and the southern Andaman Bay by the end of this week. The monsoon, which will reach the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea on Sunday, will take 10 days to reach Kerala.