Heavy rains force schools to declare holiday in Wayanad’s Meppadi panchayat

Heavy rainfall lashed parts of Wayanad, particularly Meppadi panchayat, from late Tuesday into Wednesday morning, prompting the district administration to declare a holiday for schools in vulnerable areas as a precautionary measure.

Wayanad District Collector D. R. Meghashree announced a holiday for all educational institutions located in Wards 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 of Meppadi panchayat in view of the continuing heavy rain and the potential risk posed by adverse weather conditions.

The decision was taken to ensure the safety of students and staff, as Meppadi is one of Wayanad’s most landslide-prone regions. The panchayat includes Mundakkai and Chooralmala, areas that witnessed one of Kerala’s worst landslide disasters in July 2024, making authorities particularly cautious during periods of intense rainfall.

District officials said the holiday has been declared purely as a precautionary measure while closely monitoring the weather situation and any possible impact on vulnerable locations.

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Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a Yellow Alert for Wayanad district for Wednesday, warning of the possibility of heavy rainfall. Under the IMD’s weather warning system, a Yellow Alert indicates the likelihood of heavy rain ranging between 7 cm and 11 cm within a 24-hour period, calling for residents and local authorities to remain vigilant.

In addition to Wayanad, the IMD has also issued Yellow Alerts for Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod districts, where similar weather conditions are expected.

Authorities have advised the public, particularly those living in hilly and landslide-prone areas, to remain alert, follow official weather updates and adhere to any instructions issued by the district administration as rainfall is expected to continue in several parts of the state.