Kerala rains: IMD issues red alert in 12 district; Cochin airport suspends flight operations

India Meteorological Department has issued red alert (heavy to very heavy rainfall in most places) for Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasargode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Idukki and Ernakulam Districts in Kerala until Thursday.

The heavy rainfall has claimed the lives of as many as 39 people. On Tuesday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had informed that as per the preliminary report, the total damage due to floods in the state is estimated to be worth Rs 8316 crore.

Vijayan requested for an additional Rs 400 crore from the Home Ministry to carry out immediate relief and rehabilitation work in the state.

#Kerala: 17,974 people shifted to 117 relief camps in Ernakulam district due to heavy rainfall in the state

— ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

The state government had also requested the Centre to declare the calamity a 'rare severity' and provide the required funds and assistance within four weeks.

Earlier, Cochin International Airport today suspended all flight operations till 2 pm as water level has increased in the airport area following continuous rains and the opening of dam shutters in Periyar river.

The decision to suspend the operations was taken after shutters of the Idamalayar and Cheruthoni dams, part of Idukki reservoir, were opened last evening to release excess water.

The airport is situated near the Periyar river bank.

"Operations suspended to/from Cochin International Airport till 1400 hrs...due to flood level in and around Airport," an airport spokesperson said this morning.

The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which decided to suspend the arrival operations at 4 am to 7 am today as a precautionary measure, took the decision to shut the airport till afternoon after reviewing the situation.

The arrival operations at the airport were suspended for two hours on August 9 in view of possible inundation in the airport area.

The operations were resumed later on.

Torrential rains, overflowing rivers and a series of landslides have claimed 40 lives in Kerala.

Meanwhile, four people on fishing vessel Anugraha have been rescued by the Navy. ALH helicopter and INS Garuda assisted in the rescue. Among the rescued are Sures, Sivan, Babu and Alby from Vypin. They've been taken for a medical examination in the Naval base. There are three people still missing. The fishing vessel was reportedly 12 nautical miles northwest of Alapuzha.

Responding to a distress call from a fishing boat 20Nm off Kochi #IndianNavy launched a Dornier ac at 0731h and one ALH at 0738h. Post search in area (with heavy weather), ALH has picked up 4 survivors. Search & Rescue(SAR) in progress for rest of fishing crew @DefenceMinIndia

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) August 15, 2018

Meanwhile, the Neyyar dam shutters has been raised by 12 inches. This is a first such case of the shutters of the Thiruvananthapuram-based dam getting raised in the past 20 years

According to the Hindu, the shutters were opened to the particular level for the first time since 1994. While the maximum capacity of the dam is 84.75 m, the water has risen to a level of 84.6 m.

“The shutters of the Aruvikkara dam in Thiruvananthapuram have also been raised owing to the overnight rain. Among its six shutters, shutters number 2, 4 and 5 have been raised by 150 cm and shutters number 1 and 6 by 50 cm. Three of the four shutters of the Peppara dam in the district have also been raised by 50 cm each,” the report added.

The Met Department has issued a 'Red Alert' (for  Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasaragod, Malappuram, Palakkad, Idukki and Ernakulam dstricts till Thursday, August 16.

Mullaperiyar dam Update @ 10AM

Lake level : 141.5ft
Inflow: 27537c/s
Discharge: 2178c/s
Surplus: 10359c/s

Spill to downstream is increased considering the fast filling of MPD#KeralaFloods

— James Wilson (@jamewils) August 15, 2018

Kerala resident James Wilson, was live tweeting the condition of rains in the state. "It started heavily even in Thiruvananthapuram. Heard that Mudirapuzha arm of Periyar receiving heavy rainfall and Madupetty Dam shutters are opened. Mullaperiyar is at 136.60 ft at 12noon today," he tweeted on Tuesday.

With PTI Inputs