Heavy rains lash Kerala, red alert in eight districts including Kasaragod

News Network

September 20, 2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Sept 20: Heavy rains continued to lash Kerala with eight districts put under red alert on Sunday and the IMD sounding Orange alert in ten districts for Monday.

The weatherman said that a low-pressure area had formed over North East Bay of Bengal and Neighbourhood on Sunday morning.

"A low-pressure area has formed over Northeast Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood today morning. It is likely to move west-northwest during the next 2-3 days and become more marked over Northwest Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood during next 24 hours," a weather bulletin issued at 3 pm said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert in Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod districts onSunday.

Meanwhile, the IMD has issued Orange alert on Monday for the districts of Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod.

A red alert is sounded for rainfall of over 20 cm while an orange alert is for 6 cm to 20 cm of rain.

As Muvattupuzha river is reaching flood level, banks of the river in Ernakulam and Kottayam districts are expected to be flooded,Ernakulam district officials said.

Authorities have directed the panchayats and municipalities through which the river flows to issue necessary warnings.

Heavy rains lashed many parts of Ernakulam.

Also, heavy winds were reported in Edathala near Aluva this morning, uprooting several trees, damaging four houses and disrupting power supply.

No one was injured in the localised weather event which occurred in Edathala panchayat, police said.

The State Disaster Management Authority has banned fishing for the next 48 hours startingfrom Sunday morning.

Three units of the National Disaster Response Force have reached Kerala and have been deployed in Wayanad, Malappuram and Thrissur districts.

Already there are two teams in Idukki and Kozhikode districts.

While Vadakara in Kozhikode district received 21 cm rain in the last 24 hours, Thaliparambu in Kannur received 17 cm, Munnar received 14 cm, Irikkur in Kannur and Kudulu in Kasaragod received 13 cm of rain.

Fishermen have been warned not to put out to sea as strong winds with speed reaching 45-55 kmph are likely to prevail along and off Kerala, Karnataka coasts and over Lakshadweep area.

A landslide triggered by heavy rains in the hilly district of Idukki on August 7 had flattened a row of dwelling units of tea estate workers at Pettimudi in Rajamalai claiming 66 lives.

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No cases yet, but vigilance high: Karnataka braces for Nipah threat

News Network

February 3,2026

Bengaluru: Following reports of fresh Nipah virus (NiV) cases in West Bengal and heightened vigilance across parts of Southeast Asia, the Karnataka Health Department has placed the state on high alert and activated emergency preparedness protocols.

Health officials said enhanced surveillance measures have been initiated after two healthcare workers in Barasat, West Bengal, tested positive for the virus earlier this month. While no cases have been reported in Karnataka so far, authorities said the state’s past exposure to Nipah outbreaks and high inter-state mobility warranted preventive action.

Officials have directed district health teams to intensify monitoring, particularly at hospitals and points of entry, and to ensure early detection and isolation of suspected cases.

High Mortality Virus with Multiple Transmission Routes

Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans and has a reported fatality rate ranging between 60 and 75 per cent. Fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, are the natural reservoirs of the virus and can transmit it by contaminating food sources with saliva or urine.

Known modes of transmission include:

•   Contaminated food: Consumption of fruits partially eaten by bats or raw date-palm sap
•   Animal contact: Exposure to infected pigs or other animals
•   Human-to-human transmission: Close contact with body fluids of infected persons, particularly in healthcare settings

Symptoms and Disease Progression

The incubation period typically ranges from 4 to 14 days, though delayed onset has also been reported. Early symptoms often resemble common viral infections, making prompt clinical suspicion critical.

•   Initial symptoms: Fever, headache, body aches, fatigue, sore throat
•   Progressive symptoms: Drowsiness, disorientation, altered mental state
•   Severe stage: Seizures, neck stiffness and acute encephalitis, which can rapidly progress to coma

Public Health Advisory

The Health Department has issued precautionary guidelines urging the public to adopt risk-avoidance practices to prevent any local spillover.

Do’s
•   Wash fruits thoroughly before consumption
•   Drink boiled and cooled water
•   Use protective equipment while handling livestock
•   Maintain strict hand hygiene

Don’ts
•   Avoid fruits found on the ground or showing bite marks
•   Do not consume beverages made from raw tree sap, including toddy
•   Avoid areas with dense bat populations
•   Do not handle sick or dead animals

Preparedness Measures

Officials confirmed that isolation wards are being readied in major government hospitals and that medical staff are being sensitised to identify early warning signs.

“There is no cause for panic, but there is a need for heightened vigilance,” a senior health official said, adding that there is currently no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for Nipah, and care remains largely supportive.

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