Heavy rain that has been lashing north Kerala and the high-range areas of the State for the past few days is likely to abate slightly from Thursday due to the weakening of the depression over northeast Arabian sea.
A weather bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has hinted at a reduction in rain intensity across the State, although fairly widespread rain with isolated heavy falls is likely till Wednesday.
An yellow alert has been sounded in Idukki, Malappuram and Kasaragod on Monday warning of isolated heavy rain. The depression that lay centred off Saurashtra and Kutch coast is likely to maintain the intensity during the next 12 hours and weaken gradually thereafter when it moves towards the Oman coast, although a successor is brewing over north Odisha and neighbourhood, said the IMD bulletin on Sunday.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has asked the people who live downstream of Mullaperiyar to remain alert as the water level in the dam has risen to 135.75 feet and water will be released when it touches 136.6 ft. As many as 23 relief camps are operational in the State as of Sunday, accommodating 1,485 people, including 637 women and 421 children.
Similarly, 81 houses were destroyed and 1,278 damaged so far in the monsoon. Twenty-three people were killed in various rain-related incidents in Kerala while three went missing so far, said a facebook post by the Chief Minister. A red alert has been issued at six dams, orange alert at two dams and blue alert at one reservoir as a prelude to the opening of shutters.
