- By Nidhi Giri
- Thu, 23 May 2024 04:09 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Kerala Rains: Several Air India Express flights that were to take off from Kozhikode airport were cancelled or delayed following inclement weather conditions as the southern state continued to receive torrential rains. An orange alert has been issued for Kozhikode till Saturday as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Muscat bound flight scheduled for 11:10 pm, Riyadh bound flight which was to depart at 8:25 pm and Abu Dhabi flight slated for 10:05 pm on Thursday were cancelled. The airline claimed that the services were cancelled as they were asked to re-route the planes on Wednesday owing to bad weather.
On Wednesday night, an Air India flight from Doha to Kozhikode was rerouted first to Kannur and later to Mangalore due to heavy rain. The flight, which was supposed to land in Kozhikode at 7:30 pm, landed in Mangalore at 9:30 pm. Around 180 passengers, including children and pregnant women were forced to stay inside the flight, until it took off for Kozhikode on Thursday morning. Flyers also complained that food and other facilities were not arranged by the airline, despite the delay, Manorama News reported.
Rain Wreaks Havoc In Kerala
At least four deaths were reported across Kerala as heavy rains continued to batter several parts of the state. IMD on Thursday sounded a red alert, forecasting extremely heavy rainfall in Pathanamthitta and Idukki. An orange alert has been issued for Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Wayanad districts. The weather department also forecast heavy rainfall and issued a yellow alert for Kannur and Kasargod districts.
A red alert indicates heavy to extremely heavy rain of over 20 cm in 24 hours, an orange alert means very heavy rain of 11 cm to 20 cm, and a yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 cm and 11 cm. Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has advised fishermen not to go out to sea until further notice.
Monsoon Updates
The southwest monsoon, meanwhile, is likely to set in over Kerala on May 31 with a possible deviation of four days, the IMD said on Wednesday. It advances northwards, usually in surges, and covers the entire country around July 15. The southwest monsoon made its onset over the Nicobar Islands on May 19. It is gradually advancing from the Arabian Sea towards the Comorin region, the Maldives and parts of the Bay of Bengal.
IMD had already predicted very heavy rainfall in Kerala till May 24. According to the weather body, three cyclonic circulation systems in the region are influencing the increased rainfall activity in the state. Additionally, strong westerly winds at lower levels are likely to prevail over the Kerala region till May 24.
Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds are very likely to occur at one or two places in the state till May 24. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea till May 24. Meanwhile, heavy rainfall conditions are prevailing in other southern states as well, including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.