Water levels of major rivers in Ernakulam district of Kerala rose above warning marks on Monday as heavy rain lashed the district throughout Sunday night after the sky had remained almost clear for hours.

The district administration issued an alert to people living along the Muvattupuzha, Thodupuzha and Kaliyar rivers as the water levels continued to rise.

The Muvattupuzha River recorded a water level of 12.42 metres, surpassing the critical mark of 11.93 metres in the morning. The water level in the Thodupuzha River stood at 12.37 metres, above the critical mark of 11.79 metres. The Kaliyar was also in spate, with the water level at 13.41 metres, a little short of the critical mark of 14.1 metres.

The water level in the Periyar remained below the warning level in the morning.

Flood scare returned to the eastern parts of the district, including Kothamangalam, as heavy downpour pounded the region during the night. The Manikandanchal causeway across the Pooyamkutty River, which serves as a critical connection between interior tribal hamlets and villages such as Manikandanchal and Kallelimedu and the mainland, was submerged following the heavy rain on Saturday night.