NEW DELHI: Flight operations at Cochin International Airport in Kerala have been stopped till 3 pm on Sunday due to heavy rainfall. The water level in the Periyar river and a canal near the airport has been spreading. More than 6 people have died in the floods; officials said the number of dead is likely to rise.

The Kerala administration gave a red alert - the likelihood of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall - has been issued for four districts: Wayanad, Idukki, Malappuram, and Kozhikode. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan met with officials of the State Disaster Management Authority at their control room to oversee the coordination of support and rescue operations on Thursday.

An intact group of homes of plantation workers at a tea estate in Wayanad was swept away by a landslide on Thursday evening. As per the reports, 150 people are still trapped under the debris and around 200 are injured.

Sixty people have been rescued, while two bodies have been found. Officials said the rescue operation may take 12 hours. Teams of the Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the fire department are at the site for an emergency.

The rescuers are finding it difficult to operate around the debris due to multiple low-intensity landslides in Wayanad.  Schools and colleges are shut in all 14 districts of the southern state today. No university exam will be held today, as per the reports.

Officials said Nilambur village in Malappuram is one of the worst affected areas with multiple landslides and where the water level has been rising fast. Teams of the Army and the NDRF are at the area, the official said.

Flight operations were stopped till 9 am today, but after knowing the further weather updates it had to be extended after the apron area at the Kochi airport got flooded, Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) posted on its Facebook page.

Over 22,000 people have been evacuated from flooded areas in several districts and are living at 315 camps, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority said. Thunderstorm with wind speeds up to 50 kmph has been forecast to hit Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, and Thrissur.

Kerala has asked the center to send 10 more teams of the NDRF to the state. Seven of these teams are expected to reach today. One NDRF team has been already positioned in Idukki.

"We strongly prescribe that your communications program include a backup means. Keep your phone charged. Follow instructions from local officials. Listen to instructions regarding evacuation or sheltering. If advised to evacuate, do so immediately," Mr. Vijayan tweeted.

"The flood situation in my parliamentary constituency, Wayanad is grim. I'm monitoring the situation closely & have spoken to the Kerala CM and key Govt officials to expedite relief," Rahul Gandhi tweeted.