Thiruvananthapuram: On Monday, the state was hit hard by rain, resulting in the deaths of three fishermen and the disappearance of three more. On Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red weather alert for the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Idukki and an orange alert in Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam.
Two fishermen who drowned when their boat capsized off the shore of Perumathura near Thiruvananthapuram are among the deceased. A search is being conducted to find the three fishermen who vanished as a result of the incident. A fisherman in Alappuzha, meanwhile, perished while attempting to bring to shore a country boat. After his leg became entangled in a rope, Santhosh, 40, of Puthuval House in Komana, Ambalappuzha, fell into the water.
Flash floods were caused by heavy rain that pelted Thiruvananthapuram's hilly regions, causing authorities to close a few eco-tourism destinations. The divisional forest officer ordered the closure of Ponmudi, Kallar, and Mankayam eco-tourism centres till further orders in light of the recent heavy rain and a red alert issued in Thiruvananthapuram, NIE reported.
Three tourists from Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu barely escaped when a sudden flood washed away their automobile near the Meenmutty waterfalls in Thiruvananthapuram. The trio was saved by local people before the vehicle was entirely washed away. Kallar-Meenmutty and surrounding villages were pounded by heavy rain until late on Monday. In Palakkad, there were also reports of flash floods, which caused traffic disruptions by water flowing through the Palakkad-Kozhikode highway. In the evening, it rained moderately to heavily in Ernakulam as well.
District authorities have declared a holiday for all academic establishments. Activities such as mining, quarrying, and non-essential travel and tourism are prohibited in mountainous areas, along rivers, and on the coast until further orders.