Thiruvananthapuram/Kochi/Kozhikode/Kottayam: Rain fury continued unabated in Kerala on Wednesday, prompting the India Meteorological Department to issue a red alert for the entire state. As the flood situation worsened, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan spoke to prime minister Narendra Modi late Wednesday evening and was assured of all necessary help. Home minister Rajnath Singh promised to send more forces to help the state.

A rescuer carries an infant as people are evacuated from a flood-hit locality in Kochi on Wednesday. PTI

The rain and floods have claimed several lives, and destroyed and damaged hundreds of houses in the past week and caused significant losses to crops. At least nine people were killed as their house got buried in a landslide in Peringavu, Malappuram. Pathanamthitta was one of the worst-affected districts in Wednesday's rain fury with the Army being rushed in late on Wednesday to rescue stranded people. Military engineering task force personnel will be deployed for rescue operations in the state.



Operations of the Kochi airport have been suspended till Saturday after runway got flooded

With no let up in heavy rain, the operations of the Kochi airport have been suspended till Saturday. Flights are being diverted to other airports as the state has been battered by torrential rains since August 8.



So far 33 dams, including Idukki-Cheruthoni dam, have been opened in the state.

Districts likely to suffer heavy weather on August 16 are: Ernakulam, Idukki, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, and Kannur.

Check out more updates, photos and videos of rain-related incidents in the live blog: