India: Kochi Airport may resume operations on August 26

Event

According to Kochi International Airport (COK) authorities, operations could resume on Sunday, August 26. At the moment, cleaning work continues inside terminals but floodwaters that had inundated the runway, taxiways, and parking bays have now receded. Following the closure of COK, several airlines have temporarily diverted part of their operations to nearby airports, such as Thiruvananthapuram (TRV) and Kozhikode Calicut (CCJ). 

Context

COK - Kerala state's main airport and India's seventh largest in terms of passenger traffic - has been closed since August 15 due to the heavy rain and catastrophic flooding that has impacted the southern state over the past week. 

Advice

Individuals present in India are advised to continue to postpone nonessential travel to Kerala. People currently present in the state are advised to keep abreast of local weather forecasts, anticipate localized flooding and associated road hazards, and adhere to any instructions issued by local authorities.