Heavy rains hit Kerala, Cochin airport shut

Thiruvananthapuram: Heavy rains again hit Kerala on Wednesday killing four more people and taking the death toll to 43 since August 8.

It has been raining heavily in several parts of the state since Tuesday evening. The authorities were forced to open 33 dams across Kerala.

Those reported dead on Wednesday were a couple in Malappuram who were crushed after their house crumbled. Their six-year-old child is missing.

A person died in a Munnar lodge as it crashed. A 70-year-old woman in Ranni near Pathanamthitta was electrocuted as her house was submerged.

The Idukki dam floodgates were reopened late on Tuesday as the water level in the Periyar river and its tributaries flowing through Ernakulam and Thrissur districts rose menacingly.

Following flooding in and around the Cochin International Airport, all flights were cancelled till 2 p.m. on Wednesday.

Airport Director A.C.K. Nair called the development "unprecedented".

"Why we decided to take this step is because since last night dams like Idukki, Mullaperiyar, Idamalayar have opened their shutters. The water released reaches the Periyar river and one of its tributaries flows close to the airport and it is overflowing, sending the waters to our operational area," said Nair.

Kochi: A view of the new international terminal at Cochin International Airport that is set to be inaugurated soon. The terminal can operate 12 aircrafts simultaneously

The Met has forecast more rains till Saturday.

Authorities are maintaining a close vigil especially in Idukki district as the shutters of the Mullaperiyar dam were also opened at 2.35 a.m. after its water-level crossed 140 feet.

People living in and around the dam were evacuated late on Tuesday.

Leaves of all revenue department officials have been cancelled, authorities said.

Rains which started on August 8 are said to have caused the worst damage to Kerala since 1924. Over 50,000 people are in relief camps and the damages to crops and properties is estimated to be over Rs 8,000 crore.