All educational institutions will remain shut tomorrow, August 2, in Kerala, with the state besieged by incessant rains. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for the seven districts in the state for today and tomorrow. In fact, in the Pathanamthitta and Kollam districts, schools and colleges remained shut today, August 1, as well due to rains. This order applies to professional colleges as well, said the Thiruvananthapuram District Collector Geromic George. However, exams will proceed as scheduled.

The red alert has been issued by the IMD in the Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Idukki districts not only for today and tomorrow but also for August 4, along with two more districts. Four people were reported dead in the state in the last two days due to the rain and a night travel ban has been issued in the Idukki district. According to a release by the Chief Minister's office, a meeting has been called between the District Collectors and CM Pinayari Vijayan to assess the damage caused by the rains.

The Disaster Management Authority has warned people against venturing out near water bodies and avoiding travel as much as possible. On Sunday, July 31, two tourists from Tamil Nadu were washed away at the Kumbhavurutty Falls in the Kollam district due to flash floods. One of them has died and the other is injured.

Heavy rainfall has also been predicted for parts of Tamil Nadu as well, including Chennai, due to a cyclonic circulation over the state, warned IMD.