At least seven people have died in India's southern state of Kerala after heavier than usual pre-monsoon rains, authorities said on Thursday.
Officials said pre-monsoon rains were 18% above average in Kerala this year, causing flooding in parts and disrupting flights at the Kozhikode airport.
According to the state's Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), a 70-year-old man died in a lightning strike in Kasaragod district on Wednesday. In contrast, brothers aged 18 and 21 died after falling into a quarry filled with water in Palakkad on Tuesday. Four people also died in the Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts after falling into the water, said an official at the SDMA.
The local weather department issued a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall in three districts on Thursday.