Heavy rains cause floods, closure of schools in parts of Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: Heavy rains which pummelled several parts of Kerala in the last few days caused flooding in various areas of the state and led to closure of educational institutions there on Tuesday.

A holiday was declared by the district administration for educational institutions in Kottayam, Vaikom and Changanassery taluks where 17 relief camps are providing shelter to around 246 people due to flooding in those areas.

In Alappuzha, holiday was declared for educational institutions in Cherthala and Chengannur taluks which were running relief camps, the district administration said.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted light rainfall at one or two places in the Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Kottayam districts of Kerala today.

The IMD issued a yellow alert in four districts -- Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha -- for the day.

A yellow alert predicts heavy rainfall between 6 cm and 11 cm.

The state has been receiving widespread rains for the last three-four days and numerous incidents of trees being uprooted, waterlogging and compound walls collapsing were reported in many places.

However, no major casualties have been reported anywhere in the state so far.

The heavy downpour had earlier submerged hundreds of acres of paddy fields at Edathua, a tiny hamlet in the Kuttanad region in Alappuzha district.

The Disaster Management Authority has urged people living in high ranges to maintain extra vigil in view of the incessant rains.