Rains abate briefly in Kerala, water recedes from some flooded areas

Thiruvananthapuram: As the rains abated briefly in Kerala on Monday, water receded from most of the areas which were flooded and waterlogged due to the heavy rainfall in the state in the last few days.

Many areas of the southernmost Kerala district of Thiruvananthapuram and the state capital were waterlogged and flooded on Sunday. However, water did not recede from some areas, like the Kochuveli pit line here, leading to rescheduling and delaying of trains.

The Thiruvananthapuram Central - New Delhi Kerala Express which was scheduled to leave the state capital at 12.30 pm on Monday was rescheduled to depart at 7.35 pm due to water not receding at Kochuveli pit line after the heavy rains, the Railways said.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said there were cyclonic circulations over coastal Tamil Nadu and neighbourhoods as well as over the Lakshadweep area, adjoining the Southeast Arabian sea and the Kerala coast.

Under their influence, light to moderate rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, gusty wind and lightning were likely at many places in Kerala on Monday and Tuesday, it said.

It also said that isolated very heavy rainfall was also likely over Kerala during the day.

The heavy rains that battered Kerala in the last two days have caused landslides and flooding in many parts of the state, especially its southernmost district of Thiruvananthapuram, which was severely affected by waterlogging in several areas on Sunday.

According to visuals shown on TV channels, the heavy rains led to waterlogging and flooding of streets, roads and low-lying areas of Thiruvananthapuram district, with water entering hundreds of homes and in many places vehicles were seen half submerged.

Hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes to the relief camps set up in the district.

The state government said that the heavy rainfall since Saturday night and the non-receding of the rising seawater led to the situation.