Kerala floods: Life comes to a standstill; PM Modi to visit state on Friday

Life has come to a standstill in Kerala with flood and landslides leading to unforeseen miseries and chaos. The series of landslides and similar accidents caused over 50 deaths in the last two days alone even though the official death toll for the last one week was pegged at 86. Unofficial reports said that there were at least 97 deaths in the last one week. Over 1.67 lakh people are rehabilitated in 1165 relief camps functioning in the state.</s>Flood victims are evacuated to safer areas in Kozhikode, in the southern Indian state of Kerala, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. Torrential monsoon rains have disrupted air and train services in the southern Indian state of Kerala, where flooding, landslides and bridge collapses have killed dozens of people in the past week, officials said.

NEW DELHI – Rescue workers use helicopters and boats to evacuate hundreds of people stranded on their home rooftops following unprecedented flooding in the southern Indian state of Kerala where more than 160 people have died.

With torrential rains stopping on Friday, thousands of rescuers worked quickly to shift the marooned people to 1,200 state-run camps where more than 150,000 people already have taken shelter.

Heavy rains over the past eight days triggered flooding, landslides and home and road bridge collapses, severely disrupting air and train services in Kerala state, a popular tourist destination with beautiful beaches.

State officials have put the death toll at 164 since Aug.8.

Monsoon rains kill hundreds of people every year in India. The season runs from June to September.</s>Flooding caused by heavy monsoon rains in Kerala has killed at least 73 people, shut down an airport and displaced more than 85,000 people, according to officials in the region in southern India. Many of those who died are believed to have been crushed under debris caused by landslides. In dramatic footage coming out of the region, water is seen gushing down the streets in Kozhikode, Kerala, cutting off road links and submerging several villages India’s Metrological Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rain in the state until Saturday and has issued a “red alert” for 12 out of its 14 districts.

The public transport system in central Kerala has largely collapsed - with Southern Railways and Kochi Metro suspending operations due to flooding. The Cochin International Airport has suspended all flights until Saturday. Muhammed Rasik was set to travel on Friday with the hope of enjoying Eid with his family. "I don't know what to do or what will happen. I have Friday ticket of Air India Express to Kozhikode. I am hoping the airport will not be affected," he said. "My family is settled there. I was looking to spend time with them during this Eid and Onam.” All flights - both incoming and outgoing - have been diverted to Thiruvananthapuram or Kozhikode. Tourism has already been majorly hit by the monsoon conditions. According to tour operators, 80 percent of cancellations have taken place in Idukki, Gunnar, Kumarakkom.

11.13am update: This level of flash flooding has never been seen before in Kerala "We're witnessing something that has never happened before in the history of Kerala," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters. "Almost all dams are now opened. Most of our water treatment plants are submerged, motors are damaged." 11.08am update: Water building up in dams and reservoirs has been released - causing even more floods

 Heavy rains forced state authorities to release excess water from dozens of reservoirs, causing floods downstream. The flooding has submerged vast areas in 12 out of 14 districts in the state. While the failure of the state government of neighbouring Tamil Nadu to release water from a dam had made the situation worse, according to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. But aid efforts are being hampered by the worsening conditions. Krishna Kumar, a relief official, said there will be no immediate respite for thousands of people in state-run relief camps with more rain and winds forecast until Saturday.</s>India’s monsoon season has hit Kerala with enough force to trigger landslides and rushing waters so strong that people are being swept to their deaths. So far, more than 80 people have died due to the severe weather, and there are still weeks of monsoon season to go. Monsoon season in India is often a sight to behold, as the natural beauty is enhanced with vibrant greens which normally underly the Asian countryside. However, when the waters become severe enough, the landscape gives way to a deep brown as floods engulf vast swathes of the country.

This year’s deadly flooding has taken much more of a toll on Kerala, as people are being crushed in landslides and drowned by steadily rising water. The major Keralan city of Kochi has seen its Cochin International Airport close as rains swoop in. Now areas of Kochi are cut off, and flights are being redirected to nearby cities Thiruvananthpuram and Calicut. State government is working hard to remove those under threat from the area and provide the necessary assistance where needed.

Minister for Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu assured citizens via twitter that they would still receive assistance despite closures. He said: ”The Ministry of Civil Aviation and the domestic airlines will be extending full support to the State Government of Kerala in airlifting food items and other relief material free of cost on their scheduled services, subject only to operational constraints, if any.” The Foreign Office has also issued warnings for travelling in the area, saying that people should be taking care if on holiday in India. Fears of a natural disaster comparable to the Keralan great floods of 99 are also now gripping residents.

What were the great floods of 99? The most dangerous floods ever recorded in Kerala, the great floods of 99 took place in the Malayalam Era 1099, July 1924 on the western Gregorian calendar. Severe flooding in the region took more than 1,000 lives as more than 3,000 millilitres of rain fell on the region. Now, almost a century later, it seems that monsoon waters are rivalling those from 1924.</s>The death toll from floods that have triggered landslides and sent torrents sweeping through villages in the Indian state of Kerala trebled Friday to 324, authorities said, amid warnings of worse weather to come.

Kerala has been battered by record monsoon rainfall this year and is "facing the worst floods in 100 years", chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in a Twitter statement, adding that 324 lives had been lost so far.

With thousands still trapped, power and communication lines down and fresh alerts of further torrential rain, authorities warned of more trouble ahead and further deaths to come.

"We are deploying more boats and army to ramp up rescue operations," senior state government official P.H. Kurian said.

More than 30 military helicopters and 320 boats are attempting rescues across Kerala.

Authorities said thousands of people have been taken to safety so far but 6,000 more are still waiting for rescue.</s>Unprecedented rains continue to wreak havoc across Kerala and have brought the coastal state to a standstill. "As many as 324 people have lost their lives due to rains, floods and landslides," tweeted chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

According to the Home Ministry's National Emergency Response Centre (NERC), over 2,11,000 people in 14 districts have been badly hit by the rains and floods, and over 32,500 hectares of crops damaged.

Personnel of the three services, besides the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) resumed the gigantic task of evacuating people stranded on rooftops, highlands where hills came crashing down blocking roads and cutting them off the rest of the world, and those marooned in villages that have turned into islands.

Hundreds of people, including women, children and the elderly trapped in places inaccessible by boats were winched up by defence helicopters and shifted to safety.

Also Read: Kerala Floods: Death Toll Rises To 167, PM Modi To Visit State Tonight

On Thursday morning, Prime Minister Modi spoke to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to discuss flood situation in the state. He had also asked the Defence Ministry to step up the rescue and relief operations across the state.

Meanwhile, a red alert was sounded in 13 districts of Kerala, except Kasaragod. A read has been sounded for Ernakulam and Idukki districts for tomorrow as well.

The Indian Coast Guard's rescue and relief team from Vandiperiyar has been shifted to the flood-affected Manjumala village in Kerala's Idukki district.

So far, the team has rescued 16 stranded people from the village. Food and dry ration have been distributed among them.

Earlier this morning, five units of NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) reached Thiruvananthapuram and were deployed for rescue operations. 35 teams are expected to reach there today.

Kerala has been witnessing incessant rain since past few days, causing flooding and landslide in the state.

Also Read: Punjab CM Announces Rs 10 Crore Immediate Relief For Flood-Ravaged Kerala

The Centre has launched massive rescue and relief operations in the state owing to the flood situation which is worsening by the day.

On Thursday, in view of the prevailing floods situation in Kerala, a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) was held to scale up assistance and ensured continued relief and rescue operations.

Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been tasked to mobilise additional manpower, boats, and helicopters to scale up the rescue and relief operations.

Earlier on Thursday, NDRF teams evacuated 926 persons to a safer place at Pathamithitta, Kozhikode, Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Alappuzha. Moreover, the Army also built a 35-feet long bridge and rescued around 100 people including children and senior citizens from Malampuzha's Valiyakadu village.</s>Kerala spiralled into chaos on Thursday after heavy monsoon rain hit the Indian region killing at least 164 people and forcing more than 85,000 people to evacuate. Shocking footage captured in Kerala's Kannur District shows a massive landslide rolling down a hillside violently ripping out trees. A second landslide can be seen slipping down the hillside pushing another section of the treeline into a nearby stream, forcing the cameraman to run away from the scene. India’s Metrological Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rain in the state until Saturday and has issued a “red alert” for 12 out of its 14 districts.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that at least 164 people had died because of flash floods and landslides since the rain began on August 8. The latest update from Mr Vijayan at 7:41 AM BST said: "At least 4,000 people have been rescued by NDRF right now. "A total of 70 people have been airlifted from various parts of the city and 1,568 relief camps have opened up in the state." The monsoon has forced officials to close down Kochi airport until August 26 and the Southern Railway cancelled all trains from Mangalore to Tamil Nadu. The National Disaster Response Force deployed close to 16 teams to provide support to local authorities in Kerala evacuate residents.

The flooding has submerged vast areas in 12 out of 14 districts in the state. According to Chief Minister Vijayan the failure of the state government of neighbouring Tamil Nadu to release water from a dam had made the situation worse. Kollam City Police Commissioner advised avoiding travelling near the Thottapally spillway as authorities plan to open the shutters to help water flow away. Pathanamthitta district in central Kerala has been the worst affected in the last 24 hours as thousands of people - students among others were trapped in their homes in Ranni, Aranmula and Kozhencherry. PM Narendra Modi is expected to visit the state on Friday, as the state government declared a holiday on Thursday in all educational institutions.</s>Kerala floods: As heavy and incessant rain continues to lash the state, water logging, overflowing water bodies including rivers, dams, ponds have severely affected the normal life in several districts, villages in the state. The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in most places. The alert is specifically for Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasargode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Idukki and Ernakulam Districts.

At least 42 people have lost their lives so far and around 17,974 people have been shifted to 117 relief camps in Ernakulam district due to heavy rainfall in the state while severe water-logging in parts of Trivandrum city following rainfall in the region has affected normal lives of the people.

5:24 pm Four teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been airlifted from Pune Airport to Kerala for rescue operations. They have full-wave rectified (FWR) equipment and communication equipment with them.

4:45 pm As heavy rainfall continue to lash Kerala state, the Kochi airport has been shut till August 18, 2 pm. The MeT department has issued a warning for heavy to heavy rainfall in next 24 hours at many places.

Also Read: Kerala floods: Kochi airport suspends operation till Saturday as rain continues to batter state

4:30 pm Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has requested the Centre for more relief fund and additional force to carry relief and rescue operations.

4:20 pm Since August 15 morning, 6 more people have lost their lives, 33 dams have opened their shutters and there is also a shortage of drinking water at several places in the flood-hit state. The MeT department has issued a red alert in 12 districts for the next 24 hours.

Also Read: Kerala floods: Two more dams to be opened as river water continues to swell</s>KOCHI, India (Reuters) - The death toll from the worst floods in nearly a century in the Indian tourist state of Kerala rose to 43 on Wednesday as rising water stranded tens of thousands of people and forced the closure of one of its main airports.

The five latest fatalities from the rain that began a week ago came when authorities in the southern state were forced to release water from 35 dangerously full dams, sending a surge into its main river.

“Presently, 35 reservoirs in the state are releasing water. Many districts in the state are facing floods,” the state’s chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, said on Twitter.

The Indian Meteorological Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rain in the state until Saturday, and it has issued a “red alert” for 12 out of its 14 districts.

The airport in the port city of Kochi will stay shut until Saturday afternoon.

The rain and floods have destroyed and damaged hundreds of houses in the past week and caused significant losses to crops in the state known for its spices and coffee.

A senior official with the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, Sekhar Lukose Kuriakose, said the seasonal rains have killed more than 200 people in the state since May and displaced many.

The state last saw such devastating flooding in 1924.

Famous for its coastline and picturesque backwaters, Kerala has become a major destination for domestic and international tourists.</s>A total of 164 people have been killed in torrential rains that have been lashing the southern Indian state of Kerala for over a week, prompting the authorities to issue a red alert in the region, official sources said Friday.

Kerala's National Disaster Management Authority spokesperson P.H. Kurian told EFE that the number of victims nearly doubled over the last few hours due to floods and landslides caused by the rain.
Authorities in India say that 350 people are confirmed dead in the heavy floods in Kerala.