# South Zone shooting championship postponed after Kerala floods 2026-08-05T23:15:27+00:00 | India | Indian Opinion Desk The National Rifle Association of India has postponed the XVII South Zone Shooting Championship in rifle and pistol events, originally scheduled for August 22 to 30 in Thiruvananthapuram, because of the floods affecting Kerala. In a circular to affiliated units across the southern states, the NRAI said organisers are now looking at August 31 to September 8 at the Vattiyoorkavu Shooting Range. The Kerala State Rifle Association is running the meet, which draws competitors from junior and sub-youth categories through to seniors, masters, senior masters and super masters, along with para shooters and shooters with hearing difficulties. Heavy rain has triggered floods and landslides across Kerala, reports cited by the association put the toll at 26 deaths, with more than 27,000 people currently in relief camps. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The postponement is a straightforward consequence of the flooding rather than any dispute over the championship itself, with the National Rifle Association of India acting once relief operations and safety concerns made the original Thiruvananthapuram dates untenable. The scale of the disaster behind the decision, 26 reported deaths and more than 27,000 people in relief camps, explains why organisers moved the meet rather than simply delaying a few events. The rescheduled dates of 31 August to 8 September, at the same Vattiyoorkavu range, are what will confirm whether the meet actually goes ahead as planned. ## Coverage - www.newindianexpress.com Tags: Kerala, National Rifle Association of India Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/shooting-meet-in-thiruvananthapuram-deferred-due-to-ongoing-floods/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/shooting-meet-in-thiruvananthapuram-deferred-due-to-ongoing-floods/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.