Two more people have been killed in rain-related incidents in Kerala, taking the death toll in the last 24 hours to 22. The deceased are two students at Airapuram, Mannoor in Ernakulam district who were killed in flash floods. The victims have been identified as Alen Thomas and Gopi Krishnan. They were students of St Thomas School Keezhillam. Initial reports suggest that the two were swept away in the floods when they were fishing in a nearby stream.
Kerala has witnessed heavy rains since Wednesday, causing flooding and landslides. However, the showers eased by mid-afternoon allowing air traffic operations at the Cochin International Airport to resume at 3.05 pm on Thursday.
Aluva
"As the situation has been improved, we are resuming all operations from 3.05 PM," an official statement said.
A heavy downpour had caused floods in Ernakulam district prompting the CIAL authorities to shutdown arrival operations in the Kochi airport from 1.10 pm. The shutdown was taken as a precautionary measure owing to the release of water from Cheruthoni dam.
Nilambur
The state has been reeling from the rains and rescue operations are underway.
State Disaster Management Authority has declared a red alert in Wayanad district. One unit of the army has been deployed in Wayanad, while two helicopters are also being used for relief and rescue operations.
Neeleswaram
The district has been cut-off following soil erosion in Thamarassery pass, Kuttiadi pass and Palchuram pass, which connects the district with the rest of the state.
Nearly 100 control rooms have been opened in the flood hit districts. According to the State Disaster Control Room the relief camps have been opened in Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad and Kannur.