Idukki: The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert in 5 districts today in Kerala and has stated that the state is expected to experience heavy rain at isolated places over the next few days.
Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds, with speeds reaching 30–40 kmph, are very likely at one or two places across Kerala till October 12. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea during this period.
The IMD said an upper air cyclonic circulation lies over the Comorin area and its neighborhood at around 1.5 km above mean sea level. Another circulation is likely to form over the north Bay of Bengal around October 10.
Yellow alerts
October 9: Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Malappuram, Wayanad, Kannur
October 10: Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur
October 11: Palakkad, Malappuram
October 12: Palakkad, Malappuram
Kerala records drop in carbon stocks in past 6 years
Kerala has recorded a fall in carbon stock over the past six years even as its forest cover has expanded, according to the ‘Environmental Accounting on Forest 2025’ report released by the National Statistics Office (NSO).
The state’s total carbon stock declined from 256 million tonnes in 2017 to 214 million tonnes in 2023. This drop comes despite an increase in the state’s forest growing stock – the total volume of trees – from 152 million cubic metres in 2013 to 169 million cubic metres in 2023.
During the same period, Kerala also registered a sharp rise in forest area, particularly in very dense and open forest categories. The area under very dense forest (canopy cover above 70%) rose from 1,529 sq km in 2010-11 to 2,041 sq km in 2021-22. Open forest (canopy cover between 10% and 40%) expanded from 6,992 sq km to 10,696 sq km.