Cochin Airport suspends operations till afternoon

Kochi: 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.