Amid forecasts of heavy rainfall and strong winds, district administrations in Kerala have declared a holiday for educational institutions in Ernakulam, Kasaragod and Wayanad on Friday, July 31.
The decision comes after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for the three districts, warning of heavy rainfall.
Ernakulam
Ernakulam District Collector G. Priyanka has declared a holiday for all educational institutions, including professional colleges, on Friday. The order also covers anganwadis and tuition centres.
The decision was taken in view of the orange alert and the likelihood of strong winds and heavy rain in the district.
Kasaragod
In Kasaragod, District Collector Arjun Pandian announced a holiday for all educational institutions, including
colleges and professional colleges, as a precautionary measure.
The holiday applies to schools, colleges, professional colleges, anganwadis, tuition centres, ICSE and CBSE schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas, as well as religious educational institutions, including madrasas.
However, the order does not apply to residential schools. The district administration clarified that pre-scheduled university examinations, public examinations and interviews will be held as planned.
Wayanad
Wayanad District Collector D.R. Meghashree has also declared a holiday for all educational institutions in the district on July 31.
The order covers schools, professional colleges, anganwadis, tuition centres, special classes and religious study classes.
Residential schools and residential colleges have been exempted from the holiday order.
The closures come as several parts of Kerala continue to receive rainfall under the influence of active monsoon conditions, with authorities urging residents to remain cautious in districts under weather alerts.
Kerala Braces For Heavy Rain As IMD Issues Orange Alert In Five Districts
Heavy rainfall is expected to continue across Kerala, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warning of intense rain activity across the state.
The weather department has issued orange and yellow alerts for several districts over the next five days, forecasting isolated spells of heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds.
For July 30, an orange alert has been issued for Idukki, Ernakulam, Kozhikode, Wayanad and Kannur districts, indicating the likelihood of very heavy rainfall. A yellow alert has been declared for Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram and Kasaragod.
According to the IMD, “very heavy rainfall” refers to precipitation ranging between 115.6 mm and 204.4 mm within 24 hours.
Alerts For Coming Days
For July 31, the IMD has issued an orange alert for Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod, while Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram remain under a yellow alert.
On August 1, an orange alert has been issued for Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad. Yellow alerts have been declared for Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Kannur and Kasaragod.
For August 2, yellow alerts remain in place for Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod.
Authorities have advised residents in vulnerable areas to remain alert, especially in regions prone to flooding, landslides and strong winds, as the monsoon remains active across the state.
