Kerala Floods: Death Toll Rises To 67, Cochin Airport Shut, Red Alert Across Districts

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan while addressing the media, informed that the state is witnessing such a situation for the first time.

Outlook Web Bureau

Updated on: 15 August 2018 8:58 pm

Incessant rains continued to wreack havoc across Kerala on Wednesday even as death toll due to the rains and flooding across the state has reached 67, according to ANI.

Kerala: Death toll due to flooding caused by heavy and incessant rains in the state rises to 67. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/UrUMcjugc8
— ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2018

Also, a red alert has been sounded in 12 of the 14 districts.

Operations at the Cochin airport have been suspended till August 18 and flights were being diverted to various airports. Airlines including IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet have announced the suspension of their operations to Cochin.

"All flights to/fro Kochi, stand cancelled till Aug 16, 2018 due to runway unavailability owing to flood situation. For cancellations/rescheduling, please visit bit.ly/2ndGnZ8 We hope everything gets normal soon," IndiGo said in a tweet.

All flights to/fro Kochi, stand cancelled till Aug 16, 2018 due to runway unavailability owing to flood situation. For cancellations/rescheduling, please visit https://t.co/ofwzjniT1l
We hope everything gets normal soon.
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) August 15, 2018

Rain-related calamities have rendered hundreds homeless and around 17,974 people have been sheltered in relief camps.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan while addressing the media in Ernakulum, informed that the state is witnessing such a situation for the first time.

For the first time in the history of Kerala, the state has opened 35 of its 39 dams. According to media reports, it is the worst floods the state had experienced since 1924.

"We're witnessing something that has never happened before in the history of Kerala. Almost all dams are opened. Most of our water treatment plants are submerged, motors are damaged. We're keeping all this in mind but our priority is to get drinking water to the people," said the Kerala Chief Minister.

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.

Meanwhile, four teams of National Disaster Rescue Force have been airlifted from Pune Airport to Kerala for rescue operations along with full-wave rectified (FWR) equipment and communication equipment with them.

The state has suffered an overall loss of Rs 8,316 crore.

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

ANI