INCOIS forecasted that high sea waves, also known as swell waves, might hit the coastal states.
In March, swell waves led to flooding in several areas of Kerala — the worst affected were Alappuzha, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram districts.
Such flooding events are called Kallakkadal in Kerala.
During such storms, huge energy transfer takes place from the air into the water, leading to the formation of very high waves.
Such waves can travel thousands of kilometres from the storm centre until they strike shore.
Usually, states like Kerala witness swell waves as a result of strong winds in the southern part of the Indian Ocean, where an ocean swell is generated.
The waves then travel north to reach the coast in two or three days.
Tsunamis are around 10 times faster than swell waves.