Thiruvananthapuram | The IMD on Wednesday forecast heavy rains in the state in the coming days and issued an orange alert in four districts for October 15.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert in Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Idukki districts of the state for Thursday.

It also issued a yellow alert in eight other districts of the state on that day.

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 weather agency further said that the southwest monsoon was likely to withdraw from the rest of the country on Thursday, and the northeast monsoon was likely to prevail over South India at the same time.

It also said that a cyclonic circulation was present over central Keralam and adjoining areas at an altitude of 4.5 km above sea level and also over Kanyakumari and adjoining areas at an altitude of 1.5 km above sea level.

As a result, heavy rainfall was likely at isolated places in the state between October 15 to 18, the IMD said.

Thunderstorms with wind speeds reaching up to 30-40 kmph are likely at isolated places on October 14, 17, and 18 and strong winds with speeds reaching up to 40-50 kmph are likely at isolated places on October 15-16, it added.