Severe flooding devastates Kerala in India top stories direct to your inbox SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up to receive our rundown of the day'sdirect to your inbox When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. The southern Indian state of Kerala is facing heavy flooding following monsoon rains across the area. Currently, a red alert is in place in the state, issued by India’s Meteorological Department. A total of 73 people have been killed by debris caused by landslides according to the state government. Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan issued an alert on Twitter, saying: “Alert: the water-level in both Periyar and Chalakudy rivers will rise. “People in 1km radius of Chalakudy, and those inside ½ km of radius of Aluva, must evacuate the place immediately. #KeralaFloods2018” Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi is pledging further resources to aid Kerala with rescue efforts. In a statement on Twitter, the prime minister said: “Spoke to Kerala CM Shri Pinarayi Vijayan again this morning. We discussed the flood situation in the state. “Have asked Defence Ministry to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. Praying for the safety and well-being of the people of Kerala. @CMOKerala” Kerala has been hit by flooding and heavy monsoon rains How many districts in Kerala? Kerala is a coastal southern Indian state, which is divided into 14 districts. Of these states, the capital is Thiruvananthapuram - where many are gathering after being evacuated from flooded areas. Malayalam is the widest spoken language in Kerala, and there are 44 rivers which flow from the state into the sea. Kerala is bordered by Karnataka to the north and northeast, Tamil Nadu to the east and south and the Lakshadweep Sea to the west and is the thirteenth largest Indian state. Schools across all 14 districts have closed following the flooding, and some areas have banned tourists due to safety concerns. Where is Kerala monsoon now? India’s Meteorological Department has issued a weather warning, stating that “heavy to very heavy rain” will fall “at a few places with extremely heavy falls at isolated places” This is “very likely over Marathawada and Vidarbha”. They have also warned “heavy to very heavy rain with extremely heavy falls” will continue over “Madhya Maharashtra and north Konkan”. The monsoon is hanging over India, causing havoc to the south Water is continuing to rise as dams reach bursting point<doc-sep>Severe flooding devastates Kerala in India top stories direct to your inbox SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up to receive our rundown of the day'sdirect to your inbox When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. No stranger to rain, Kerala is experiencing its third flooding since June. Due to its location, on the southwestern Indian peninsula, Kerala is an area exposed to rain from the southwestern monsoon. The region is currently facing what could be the heaviest rainfall since 1924. A total of 2,406 villages have been badly damaged so far and the death toll has risen to 87 since August 8. Kerala flood map: A red alert has been declared in every district of Kerala The death toll is expected to increase this week, with 12 people already reported dead today. Many people have been left homeless, and about 4,000 families have been evacuated from the banks of Pariyar into relief camps. Yesterday, a red alert was declared in every district of Kerala, with heavy rainfall for at least one more day, but the Met department has predicted continuous rain until Saturday. This includes Kasaragod in the north to Thiruvananthapuram in the south. Kerala flood map: Kerala is in southwestern India Thousands of people in the Pathanamthitta district in central Kerala have been trapped in their homes and the district has been one of the worst affected in the last 24 hours. The local airport, Cochin airport has been shut till Saturday, and railways have suspended their operations. Some 35 dams, including the Mullaperiyar dam have been opened, and the National Crisis Management Committee will meet tomorrow to go through the storage of water and file a report. The water level in Mullaperiyar Dam has breached maximum permissible of 136ft and is currently at the 142ft mark. Updates from the Office of Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri Pinarayi Vijayan on Twitter says: “The water-level in both Periyar and Chalakudy rivers will rise. People in 1km (0.6m) radius of Chalakudy, and those inside .05km (0.3m) of radius of Aluva, must evacuate the place immediately.” Kerala flood map: Due to its location, Kerala is an area exposed to rain from the Southwest monsoon<doc-sep>Kerala is facing its worst flood in 100 years with nearly 324 people losing their lives and over 3.14 lakh residents being moved to relief camps. The grim situation has not only led to several central and state agencies joining hands for rescue operations, but has also drawn international attention with the UAE forming a national emergency committee to provide relief assistance. As people pray for the flood-ravaged state and help pours in from every corner, here's one-stop guide for all the information required — helpline number, rescue centres, food and water and other essentials. 1. Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party Arvind Kejriwal has announced that all his party MLAs, MPs and ministers will donate one month's salary for Kerala flood relief work. 2. Nurses Union of AIIMS Delhi is collecting essential medicines and relief items. Its general secretary said that the Indian Navy will airlift their relief items (donated by Delhi residents) at midnight. 3. Thiruvananthapuram MP and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor hit out at the Centre, saying that relief assistance was reaching the state but it was for those already rescued. "I trust that @PMOIndia will urgently deploy more army, navy , airforce & NDRF to Kerala. Rescue is the priority. @indiannavy helicopters are doing a great job. For many, today is the last chance to be saved alive. Relief assistance is coming but that's for those already rescued (sic)," he tweeted. 4. The weather seems to be worsening again with the red alert back in 11 of the 14 districts after rekindling hope for a few hours when the alert was brought down to two zones. A fresh rain forecast has been issued due to low pressure over Bay of Bengal. 5. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced an aid of Rs 10 crores for the flood-hit state from Bihar Chief Minister Relief Fund. 6. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that it is not the time for blame game. "We are getting all possible help. Air Marshall has promised more helicopters and have told the government that we need more help," he said. 7. Lauding authorities for their efforts to rescue flood-hit residents of Kerala, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "I salute the people of Kerala for their fighting spirit. I would also like to appreciate the wide support and solidarity from people across India towards Kerala during this unprecedented situation," he said in a tweet. 8. A special train carrying drinking water for flood-affected residents to Kerala is set to leave from Pune today. While rakes of 14 trains with drinking water is being sent from Pune, 15 rakes of mail will set off from Gujarat's Ratlam. 9. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) DG Sanjay Kumar said that 58 teams are deployed in Kerala. "We have all the equipment in place. The relief material is being sent to all districts. Seven thousand people have been evacuated by us and 150 people, who were in emergency, have been saved," he said. 10. Congress President Rahul Gandhi has asked PM Narendra Modi to declare Kerala floods a 'national disaster without any delay'. "Dear PM, Please declare #Kerala floods a National Disaster without any delay. The lives, livelihood and future of millions of our people is at stake (sic)," he tweeted.<doc-sep>Severe flooding devastates Kerala in India top stories direct to your inbox SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up to receive our rundown of the day'sdirect to your inbox When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Rains continue to batter Kerala in southern India, as further rain is expected throughout the week. The Indian Meteorological Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rain in the state until Saturday. Red weather alerts have been issued in 12 of the 14 Kerala districts, including Idukki, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Pathanamthitta, Kannur and Ernakulam, as the state deals with an unprecedented flood situation. The death toll has risen to 86, according to the Times of India. The Cochin International Airport remains closed until 2pm on August 26. The airport had been expected to open on Saturday (August 18), but as the situation is not improving, the closure has been extended. Flights operating to and from Cochin are currently cancelled. The public transport system has collapsed in many parts of central Kerala with the Southern Railways and Kochi Metro suspending their operations due to the floods. Kerala flood map: The majority of the districts in Kerala are on red alert Authorities have diverted all incoming and outgoing flights to Thiruvananthapuram or Kozhikode. 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. The Education Department has rescheduled Onam vacation for schools in the state. The holiday will be from August 17 to 29. The areas worst hit by the rain are north and central Kerala and Pathanamthitta district, especially Ranni in central Keral has been the worst affected in the last 24 hours as thousands of people were trapped in their homes. READ MORE: Photos show horror as death toll rises Kerala flood map: This map shows how the monsoon has advanced this season Local CPI-M legislator Raju Abraham said things were turning from bad to worse on Wednesday evening, as he received call from his constituents in Ranni. Abraham said: “Many of them are now perched on terraces for hours, as up to the first storey are flooded and water level is still rising. “The biggest problem is no power supply in many flooded areas, with mobile phones running low on batteries.” The Indian Air Force has airlifted people to safety from some area of Pathanamthitta district. Kerala flood map: The rains have damaged hundreds of houses<doc-sep>
Kerala flooding: Little boy rescued by Navy helicopter The Kerala flooding death toll has risen to 167 since rains began on August 8. And so far, more than 200,000 people are currently living in relief camps across the district. Kerala is witnessing its worst flood crisis in almost a century, with the latest flooding being the third since June. Torrential rain, overflowing rivers and landslides have caused trains and metros to suspend their operations and Kochi airport has been forced to shut until August 26. Kerala flood map: Heavy rain will continue in Kerala until Sunday Evacuation Zones A red alert has been issued by India’s Meteorological Department for nine out of the 14 Kerala districts for Friday. The red alert for Thursday was for 13 districts, with rains expected to last well into this weekend. The nine district still under a red alert are Idukki, Ernakulam, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Pathanamthitta, Kannur Malappuram, Palakkad and Thrissur. Kerala flood map: The advance of the south-west monsoon Thousands of people in Pathanamthitta in central Kerala were trapped in their homes, as the district has been one of the worst affected in the last 48 hours. The Indian Air Force has been working hard to airlifted people to safety but some are still trapped. The Chief Minister of Kerala Shri Pinarayi Vijayan said the water-level in both Periyar and Chalakudy rivers will continue rise. “People in 1km (0.6mile) radius of Chalakudy, and those inside 0.5km (0.3m) of radius of Aluva, must evacuate the place immediately.” Kerala: Rescue team search for animals following flash floods He has also urged people to get on to rooftops so rescue teams can easily spot them and help them to safety. According to state officials, the ongoing crisis could have been contained had the state gradually released waters from at least 30 dams. The gates from all of the dams have now been opened to discharge excess water. This comes as the water level in Mullaperiyar Dam breached its maximum permissible of 136ft and is hit the 142ft mark yesterday. Kerala flood map: Kerala is in southwest India Latest rain forecast Since June, the Kerala district has seen 37 percent more rain than average. The forecast for the next three days is further heavy rainfall, with expected relief on August 19. The southwest monsoon continues to heap more rain and windy conditions over Kerala and will continue until Sunday. Kerala flood map: People standing on roof waiting to be rescued