Kerala Floods: Woman dead in Idukki, 12 missing in Kottayam; Govt seeks IAF help

Heavy rain slammed several parts of Kerala today as five districts were put on red alert and seven districts on orange alert. A footage showing a bus stuck in a waterlogged street - with passengers struggling to come out - turned out to be one of the most defining videos of the rain horror in the southern state.

On the state government's request, the Army and Air Force have stepped in. Helicopters are on standby and all bases under Southern Air Command are on high alert. The Army has deployed its personnel in the flood-affected areas. An Army column comprising about 30 personnel has moved to Kanjirappalliin Kottayam district from Pangode military station.

One person has reportedly died in Kerala’s Idukki district as heavy rains lash the coastal state. A red alert has been issued in five districts of Kerala amid warning of excessive rainfall. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued orange alert for seven other districts, and yellow alert for two districts in the state.

Visuals from rural Kottayam, one of the five districts where "heavy to extremely heavy" rain alert was issued, show locals pushing a car while they could barely move in knee-deep water.

Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur are the districts that have been put on red alert. In seven districts of the state - Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad - the weather office has sounded an "orange alert", which signifies "heavy to very heavy rain". Two districts have been put on yellow alert.

The Chief Minister's office has sent out a cautionary note, urging people to be extremely careful and avoid venturing out for travels into the mountains or near rivers.