Cochin Airport Suspends Flights till 2 pm After Heavy Rains Batter Kerala
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.
Kochi International Airport. (Image: PTI)
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Kochi: Cochin International Airport on Wednesday 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 on Tuesday 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 on Wednesday 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.
The shutters of Mullaperiyar dam in Kerala, which is operated by Tamil Nadu opened at 2:30am. So far, 33 dams opened across Kerala.
People dwelling on the banks of Periyar in Ernakulam, Thrissur , Idukki had been asked to move to for safer areas.
Idukki district collector had even issued an alert on Tuesday night following which, people were evacuated from the banks of Periyar.
Torrential rains, overflowing rivers and a series of landslides have claimed 40 lives in Kerala.
The decision to suspend the operations was taken after shutters of the Idamalayar and Cheruthoni dams, part of Idukki reservoir, were opened on Tuesday 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 on Wednesday 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.
The shutters of Mullaperiyar dam in Kerala, which is operated by Tamil Nadu opened at 2:30am. So far, 33 dams opened across Kerala.
People dwelling on the banks of Periyar in Ernakulam, Thrissur , Idukki had been asked to move to for safer areas.
Idukki district collector had even issued an alert on Tuesday night following which, people were evacuated from the banks of Periyar.
Torrential rains, overflowing rivers and a series of landslides have claimed 40 lives in Kerala.