Cyclone Fengal: IMD issues red alert for northern Kerala

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued a warning of significant rainfall in Kerala due to Cyclone Fengal, which has currently weakened into a low-pressure area over north interior Tamil Nadu, extending into south interior Karnataka.

Meteorologists expect this system to move and develop further, potentially emerging into the southeast and east-central Arabian Sea near the northern coasts of Kerala and Karnataka around December 3.

Kerala is forecast to experience light to moderate rain across most regions, with isolated areas likely to receive very heavy rainfall and thunderstorms.

On Tuesday, heavy to very heavy rain is anticipated in the northern and central parts of the state. Intermittent light to moderate rain with occasional thunderstorms is expected to persist over the next five days, the IMD said.

Red alerts have been issued for five northern districts--Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode and Malappuram--on Monday. Palakkad, Thrissur, Idukki, Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts are under an orange alert, while Kottayam and Pathanamthitta are on a yellow alert.

Officials said that an NDRF team is on standby, as a red alert has been issued in Wayanad. They said that there are five NDRF teams in Kerala. Two teams have been deployed in Sabarimala, with one team each in the Pathanamthitta and Thrissur districts.

State Revenue Minister K Rajan urged residents to stay vigilant as rainfall is likely to intensify in northern Kerala.