As torrential rain continued to batter Kerala on Saturday, Chief Minister V D Satheesan said the government has intensified relief and rescue operations across the state, with six deaths officially confirmed and six others still missing as of 6 pm.

Search operations are underway with the assistance of multiple rescue agencies, local residents and elected representatives, while the government remains on high alert as heavy rain continues across several districts.

The state has opened 65 relief camps, sheltering 1,465 people. Kottayam, one of the worst-affected districts, has the highest number of camps (23), followed by Pathanamthitta (22). Six camps each have been opened in Kozhikode and Idukki. Authorities said more people would be shifted to relief camps if required.

According to the Chief Minister, 17 houses have been completely destroyed while 127 have suffered partial damage. He said the easing of rainfall in some areas by Saturday evening had brought temporary relief, allowing rescue operations to continue more effectively. Additional boats have been deployed from neighbouring districts, while water levels and discharge from major dams are being closely monitored.

"The Anakkampoyil region in Kozhikode recorded 340 mm of rainfall over the past 35 hours, while Meppadi in Wayanad received 177 mm," the Chief Minister said in a statement. He urged people, especially those in hilly areas, to remain vigilant and strictly follow the instructions issued by the government and district administrations.

The government has assured adequate financial assistance to the families of those who lost their lives and to people who suffered damage to their homes, crops and livelihoods. It also promised the best possible treatment for the injured.

To strengthen disaster response, the Chief Minister directed the district collectors of Idukki, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta to remain fully prepared for any additional emergency. He has assigned ministers to coordinate relief operations in the worst-hit districts. C P John will oversee operations in Thiruvananthapuram, P C Vishnunath in Pathanamthitta, Mons Joseph in Kottayam and Anoop Jacob in Idukki, while the Revenue Minister will coordinate relief efforts at the state level. Satheesan also spoke to MLAs from the affected regions to assess the situation.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) placed nine districts - Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod - under a red alert on Saturday, forecasting extremely heavy rainfall of over 20 cm in isolated places within 24 hours. Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Palakkad remained under an orange alert for very heavy rainfall.

For Sunday, the IMD issued an orange alert for Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod, forecasting very heavy rainfall up to 20 cm in 24 hours.

Holiday for educational institutions
In view of the continuing adverse weather, the district administrations of Wayanad, Kannur, Thrissur, Pathanamthitta, Kozhikode, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Malappuram have declared a holiday for all educational institutions that function on Sunday, including professional colleges, tuition centres, coaching centres, religious study classes and special classes.

In Wayanad, Ernakulam and Kottayam, the District Collectors directed heads of residential schools and colleges to prioritise students' safety and permitted them to declare a holiday if the situation warrants. Schools and colleges functioning as relief camps will remain closed until further notice.

In Kannur, residential schools will function as usual, while pre-scheduled university and public examinations and interviews will be held as planned. The Malappuram District Collector also clarified that the holiday will not apply to pre-scheduled examinations.