India, May 18 -- The India Meteorological Department on Sunday issued an orange alert for three districts in Kerala, as heavy rains lash parts of the state amid the onset of the Southwest Monsoon.

The weather department issued an orange alert in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathanamthitta districts of the state for three hours in the evening. It also issued a yellow alert in Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Kannur and Kasaragod districts of the state.

An orange alert means very heavy rain of 11 cm to 20 cm, and a yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 cm and 11 cm.

The IMD also said that thunderstorms with moderate rainfall and gusty winds speed reaching 40 kmph were likely at one or two places in all these districts. Hea...