Thiruvananthapuram ∙ The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning of heavy rainfall across the state this week. A yellow alert was declared for Thursday in Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, and Idukki. Residents in areas vulnerable to landslides, mudslides, and flash floods have been urged to relocate to safer areas as per the authorities' instructions.
On Wednesday, widespread rain was reported in Kollam, Pathanamthitta, and Thiruvananthapuram districts. A landslide on the Vithura-Bonacaud road in Thiruvananthapuram partially blocked traffic, with restoration expected by Thursday. Meanwhile, the water level in the Vamanapuram river has risen.
In Kochi, a section of the boundary wall surrounding the CUSAT grounds collapsed due to heavy rainfall. The 10-meter-high wall fell around 8:30 pm, but fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Wataerspout in Vizhinjam
A waterspout phenomenon was observed in Vizhinjam, Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. A waterspout is a rotating column of air that occurs over a body of water, usually appearing as a funnel-shaped cloud in contact with the water and a cumuliform cloud. Fishermen who spotted the air column in the sea recorded it on their phones. See video.
During this phenomenon, a cloud sheet resembling lightning and a fountain descends into the sea from the dark clouds in the sky, causing the water to churn and form a vortex. Water rises in a funnel shape in several parts of the sea. The sudden pressure difference between the clouds is what triggers the waterspout phenomenon.