Widespread rains in southern Kerala; 'Orange Alert' for 5 districts

Thiruvananthapuram: Several parts of the southern districts of Kerala continued to receive widespread rainfall on Friday causing waterlogging in low-lying areas and damage to roads as the weathermen sounded an 'Orange Alert', predicting very heavy rainfall, for five districts.

According to the latest update of India Meteorological Department (IMD), isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthita, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Idukki districts.

An 'yellow alert', indicating heavy rainfall, was issued in another five districts- Thrissur, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Malappuram and Wayanad.

Meanwhile, rain water entered several houses and three vehicles were washed away in the overnight heavy rains and flooding in Punalur-Thenmala region in Kollam district.

Incessant rains caused widespread destruction in the region and damaged some portions of the national highway as huge boulders fell down the road, local people said.