Kochi Airport to resume full scale operations from Wednesday

Submerged area near Cochin International Airport after monsoon rainfall, in Kochi on Wednesday, Aug 15, 2018. The Cochin International Airport at Nedumbassery reportedly suspended operations till Saturday due to rains and floods. (PTI Photo)

Kochi: The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which suffered an estimated loss of over Rs 220 crore due to floods, will resume full scale international and domestic operations from 2 pm on Wednesday, August 29.

“CIAL is all set to commence full-scale operations (both international and domestic) at 2 PM on August 29," said a statement from CIAL.

The Cochin airport had been rendered non-functional since August 14 due to flooding and torrential rains in Kerala.

The airport was scheduled to commence operations on August 26, but extended the date by three days after most stakeholders, including airlines and ground handling agencies, expressed concern over mobilising manpower by that date.

The CIAL management has launched rebuilding of the damaged infrastructure, including 2.6 km long airport walls that collapsed after the Periyar river overflowed.

The state witnessed one of the worst floods in a century that claimed the lives of more than 320 people and rendered thousands homeless. 

A total of 3,42,699 people are in 1,093 relief camps, a release from chief minister's office said.

A release from the chief minister's office said work of burying carcasses were nearing completion and four lakh birds and more than 22,000 small and big animals have been buried.