Thiruvananthapuram: The India Meteorological Department has predicted moderate rainfall in the next 5 days in Kerala in view of a low-pressure area located over southeast Jharkhand.

The Met department also said Kerala is likely to receive heavy rainfall at isolated places today (September 22).

A yellow alert has been sounded for seven districts- Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki and Ernakulam. A yellow alert indicates heavy rainfall ranging from 64.5 mm to 115.5 mm within 24 hours.

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services has issued a high tide warning for the Kerala coast on Friday. As per the alert, there are chances for high tidal waves from 0.4 to 1.5 metres till 5.30 pm on Friday.

As per the latest alert, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram,  Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod districts are likely to witness light to moderate rain accompanied by lightning and strong winds speed reaching upto 40 km.

Incessant rains caused waterlogging and uprooting of trees in high ranges of Kottayam and Idukki districts.

Meanwhile, shutters of Peppara Dam in Thiruvananthapuram were raised by 10 cm in the wake of increased water level, district authorities said.

The District Collector has asked local people to be vigil as the shutters would be raised by another 10 cm later in the day, an official statement said here.

The Kerala Disaster Management Authority has appealed to the public to exercise extreme caution against lightning strikes. 

Heavy rains lashed hilly areas in Kottayam on Thursday causing landslides in two places and disrupting traffic on various roads, including the one leading to the popular hill station of Vagamon in Idukki.

The sudden heavy rains also led to rise in water levels of various streams and rivers, including the Meenachil river, raising concerns of a flood situation in the downstream areas, the district administration had said. 

(With PTI inputs)