KOCHI: Cochin International Airport will fall off the aviation map for nearly four days with Cial (Cochin International Airport Limited) announcing suspension of operations till Saturday due to incessant rains.
The Cial, which records the fourth-largest international traffic among airports in India, has been forced to shut operations till 2pm on Saturday due to flooding triggered by rain.
“The operational area has been fully flooded. There is no choice but to cancel operations and the weather forecast shows that it will be raining heavily for the next two to three days. All operations have been suspended till Saturday as a precautionary step,” said airport director ACK Nair.
The emergency control room numbers for Cial is
0484-305 3500, 261 0094
Though Cial has been using four large pumps to clear the water from the operational area, Nair said the water level has gone beyond the capacity of the pumps. He added that his team is working hard to revive airport operations before Saturday.
As many as 12 international flights have been diverted to other airports, and several others canceled or delayed.
With Onam and Eid home on the horizon, several passengers heading home from the Middle East for the festive season have been left stranded by the floods, with flights from Dubai, Doha, Jeddah and Colombo being delayed till now. All remaining flights till Saturday are expected to be cancelled.
“Most of the flights have been diverted to Thiruvananthapuram Airport and some have been diverted to Coimbatore,” said an official.
No let up in torrential rains
Meanwhile, the death toll in the state rose to 44 as there is no let up in heavy rains.
In Munnar, a man hailing from neighbouring Tamil Nadu was killed and six people were rescued after a mound of earth fell on a hotel last evening, official sources said.
In a similar incident in Kondotty, a heavy mound of earth fell onto a concrete house at 1 am today, claiming a couple's lives. A search is on for their six-year-old child who was asleep in the same room with them, district authorities said.
A fisherman was electrocuted in Thrissur as he came in touch with a snapped electric wire.
Weathermen have warned of heavy rains accompanied with gusty winds with speed reaching 60 kmph in all the 14 districts.
With almost all rivers in spate, reports of landslides have come in from Malappuram and Munnar in Idukki this morning.
A defence spokesperson said the Southern Naval Command has diverted its vessel INS Kalpeni to 12 nautical miles off Alappuzha Coast to rescue the crew of a fishing boat reportedly in danger after water entered it.
"A helicopter is also being launched for search and rescue, weather permitting," he said.
Over 1,000 people living on the banks of Periyar river have been shifted to relief camps as a precautionary measure after the Mullaperiyar dam's shutters were opened and water released through spillway early this morning.
Though initially 13 shutters of the dam were opened early by 4.30 am, three were closed and discharge through the spillway reduced to 3,480 cusecs.
The water level in the dam has touched 140 feet against its maximum level of 142 feet.
Many parts of Thiruvananthapuram are also receiving heavy rains since early this morning.
Unabated rains have forced the state government to do away with the official 'Onam' celebrations and the amount set apart for the purpose would be utilised for relief operations.
(With inputs from PTI)
Flooded compound of Cochin International Airport
