Kerala's weather has turned ferocious, with heavy rain battering the state over the past few days and throwing everyday life out of gear. The weather department has forecast heavy rainfall over Kerala and Mahe on July 7 and 8, with isolated very heavy rainfall also likely. In the middle of this, a fatal accident in Wayanad has made the situation far more serious.
A red alert is now in force for both Wayanad and Kozhikode. The Wayanad alert was issued at 12:30 pm today, hours after a landslide struck the Kalladi tunnel project site at around 11 am. The disaster has left one person confirmed dead, seven missing, and seven injured workers hospitalised.
Debris Buries An Under-Construction Tunnel Project
The mudslide hit the under-construction Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi tunnel road project, which links Wayanad and Kozhikode. It happened near the Meenakshi Bridge at Kalladi, close to Meppadi, where a sudden collapse of debris amid the pounding rain trapped the workers on site.
How The Alerts Stack Up District By District
Mananthavady has also been placed under a red alert after recording 64 mm of rain, while Vythiri received 123 mm through the day. An orange alert has been issued for Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod, where very heavy rain of between 115 and 204 mm is expected over the next 24 hours.
A yellow alert covers many of the northern and central districts today. Along the coast, winds are gusting up to 60 kmph and sea conditions remain rough, prompting authorities to advise fishermen to stay off the water.
Hopes Rise For A Day Off
As conditions worsen, school, college and office goers are watching closely for a holiday announcement for Wednesday, July 8, since the heavy rain has already disrupted daily routines. Given the red alert and the fatal landslide in Wayanad today, a holiday for Wayanad and possibly Kozhikode tomorrow looks quite likely, though officials have not made any formal announcement yet.
Monsoon In Its Active Phase
The monsoon reached Kerala on schedule in late June, and the state is currently in an active wet phase. The Malabar-region districts, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasaragod, Wayanad and Malappuram, are set to see rotating orange and yellow alerts at least until July 9.
July is the coolest of Kerala's hot monsoon months, with average temperatures hovering around 27 to 29 degrees Celsius during the day and 22 to 24 degrees Celsius at night. Strong monsoon currents sweeping over the Arabian Sea keep humidity high through this stretch, adding to the mugginess.
