Kerala rains: Several trains cancelled, holiday declared in schools

KOCHI: At least 12 trains were cancelled and schools shut down after heavy rains continue to lash across Kerala on Wednesday morning. 

Ten trains were cancelled in Kottayam-Ettumanur section and two trains were partially cancelled between Ernakulam to Punalur, reported ANI news.

Ernakulam District Administration declared holiday in all state and private schools in the region.

At least 12 persons have died and six missing in rain-related incidents after the monsoon became active on July 9.

The rains are expected to continue till July 19. 

A total of 34,693 people from 8,033 families were shifted to 265 relief camps across the state, the control room monitoring rain-related incidents said.

Rains wreaked havoc in many parts of Kottayam district, with many parts of Kottayam and Alappuzha districts were still under flood water. 

In the second spell of rains, around 36 houses were destroyed while 1,214 suffered partial damage, officials said.

A 45-member National Disaster Response Force team has been deployed to carry out relief operations.

Road and rail traffic were affected due to water-logging in many parts of the state.

With agency inputs