IMD issues orange alert for Kerala, heavy rainfall warning for Uttarakhand; travellers urged to stay cautious

Key points

• The southwest monsoon set in over Kerala, triggering heavy rainfall across the state on Friday, damaging vehicles and property, and causing several tree branches to fall.
• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for eight districts for Saturday - Kannur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Thrissur, Ernakulam, and others - and a red alert for Sunday for Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad.
• The weather agency also said that thunderstorms accompanied by moderate to heavy rainfall and strong winds reaching up to 40 kmph were likely in various parts of these districts.
• Heavy rains also caused waterlogging and flooding in many low-lying areas under the Kochi Corporation, leading to protests outside its office.
• Meanwhile, Delhi witnessed a sharp drop in both maximum and minimum temperatures on Friday after the city received light to moderate rainfall due to a western disturbance.