Rescuers evacuate people from a flooded area to a safer place in Aluva in the southern state of Kerala, India, August 18, 2018. (REUTERS photo) Rescuers evacuate people from a flooded area to a safer place in Aluva in the southern state of Kerala, India, August 18, 2018. (REUTERS photo) More than 200,000 families have taken refuge at relief camps set up across the state, an official at the Kerala State Disaster Management office said. Anil Vasudevan, who handles disaster management at the Kerala health department, told Reuters that authorities had isolated three people with chickenpox in one of the relief camps in Aluva town, nearly 250 km from state capital Thiruvananthapuram. READ | Kerala floods LIVE: Rainfall eases in Kerala, relief operations underway He said the department was preparing to deal with a possible outbreak of water-borne and air-borne diseases in the camps, where an estimated two million people have taken shelter since the monsoon rains began three months ago. Meanwhile, for the first time since August 9, no red alert has been issued by the Indian Meteorological Department for any of Kerala’s 14 districts. However, the weather forecast for Ernakulam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts predicted heavy rains at isolated places. Kerala continues to remain on edge as the death toll since August 8 has climbed to 194. In a boost for rescue and relief operations in the flood-ravaged state, flight operations are set to resume from Kochi Naval Base from tomorrow. A step-by-step guide on how you can donate to the Kerala CM’s relief fund<doc-sep>View of a flooded area in the north part of Kochi on August 18, 2018. (AFP photo) People being airlifted by Navy personnel during a rescue operation in Paravoor near Kochi, An aerial view of the submerged Kochi International airport on Saturday People evacuated by volunteers from Eloorkkara near Aluva on Saturday. (TOI photo by Jipson Sikhera) KOCHI/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: No red alert was issued for any of Kerala's rain-ravaged 14 districts for the first time since August 9, raising hopes that the lull in downpour since Friday wouldn't prove to be deceptive, as aid came pouring in from the Prime Minister as well as several state governments. The IMD, however, has forecast heavy rains at several places in Ernakulam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts.The death toll since August 9 stands at 196 with 22 more deaths reported on Saturday. Currently, 6,61,887 people are lodged in 3,466 relief camps.The 22 deaths reported during the day were in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Chengannur districts. The worst affected places remained Aluva, Chalakudy, Chengannur, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta, where massive rescue operations continued involving NDRF, army, navy and coast guard.On Saturday, after surveying some of the flood-affected areas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sanctioned Rs 500 crore as an immediate relief to the state. He also announced an ex-gratia sum of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those seriously injured from Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF).Complementing the state authorities for their rescue efforts, Modi reiterated that the Centre was providing all possible assistance to Kerala. "This includes financial assistance, providing food grains and medicines. We have asked NHAI, NTPC, PGCIL to render all possible assistance and cater to basic infrastructure needs in the wake of the floods," the PM said. "The central government is ensuring that benefits under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, MGNREGA, various social security schemes, Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture reach those affected on a priority basis in Kerala," he added.The Centre had announced Rs 100-crore assistance on August 12 after Union home minister Rajnath Singh conducted an aerial survey of the flood situation.Governor P Sathasivam, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Union minister K J Alphons accompanied the PM during the aerial survey.Just after he left Kerala, Modi tweeted: "I salute the people of Kerala for their fighting spirit... the nation stands firmly with Kerala in this hour. "However, following the PM's announcement of relief, Vijayan, tweeted: "As per the initial estimate, the state has suffered a loss of Rs 19,512 crore. The actual loss can be ascertained only after the water recedes in the affected areas. The state has sought an immediate assistance of Rs 2,000 crore".The CM, meanwhile, has temporarily cancelled his US trip for medical consultation. He was scheduled to fly on Sunday.Battling heavy rains, which continued to batter Alappuzha on Saturday, rescue teams evacuated thousands of people who were stranded in remote corners of Chengannur and Kuttanad after the overflowing Vembanadu Lake and the Pampa River inundated vast stretches of areas in the region. The region is facing a grave situation as thousands more remained marooned without food, drinking water and medicines. Seven deaths were reported in Chengannur on Saturday. Four bodies were found in Pandanadu.As many as 25,000 people were rescued in Kuttanad, while over 2,500 people were moved to relief camps in Chengannur. The Navy, Air Force, NDRF personnel and fishermen conducted rescue operations in helicopters and hundreds of fishing and rescue boats.The people who were rescued in Chengannur said there were many more awaiting evacuations in regions such as Edanad, Pandanadu, Thiruvanvandoor and Nakkada. Making matters worse, flood waters started entering Venmoni, Ala and Cheriyanadu on Saturday morning.Over 1,94,074 people have been staying in 678 relief camps in the district. District police chief S Surendran said over 6,000 people were rescued in two days in Chengannur. He claimed rescue team could reach most of the regions in Chengannur and supplied food to stranded people. He warned against spreading false news about scores of people dying in the area and said people behind such rumours would be arrested.The water-level had started to go up in Kuttanad drastically. With the Vembanadu Lake overflowing, floodwater had started to enter even Alappuzha town. Sub-collector Krishna Teja said all those stranded in Kuttanad will be evacuated soon. "We could reach most of the areas, except for some pockets. We will reach those regions soon," he said. The district administration has directed irrigation officials to deepen the canals in Alappuzha town to drain the rising waters.Chengannur MLA Saji Cherian had said earlier in the day that over 2.5 lakh people in Chengannur have been staying without food and medicines for the past five days. "Ten of thousands of people have been battling for their lives in Chengannur as rescue teams have not been able to reach them," he said. Meanwhile, the district administration, at the behest of PWD minister G Sudhakaran, has arrested a houseboat owner, who refused to spare his boats for rescue operations. It seized at least 30 private boats anchored on Vembanadu Lake to use them for rescue operations. Sudhakaran said the licences of boat drivers who refused to provide boats for rescue operations would be cancelled.<doc-sep>Kerala floods latest updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has landed in Kerala's capital Thiruvananthapuram. He will stay overnight at the Kerala Raj Bhawan and will conduct an aerial survey of the flood-hit state on Saturday morning. Auto refresh feeds Narendra Modi will reach Kochi on Friday after attending the funeral of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He will take an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas on Saturday morning, PTI reported. The Kerala government described the rumours of Mullaperiyar dam developing cracks as "completely baseless" rumours​ being spread on social media. "This rumour is completely baseless and the dam has not developed any cracks as alleged. These rumours are creating unnecessary panic among people living in downstream in the Periyar catchment," Water Resources secretary Tinku Biswal said. In a letter to DGP Loknath Behara, she wrote that she wanted the Cyber cell to trace the source of the rumours and take immediate action against them, PTI reported. The long distance trains cancelled included Train No 12202 Kochuveli Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (Garib Rath Express), Train No 12617 Ernakulam Harzrath Nizamuddin (Mangala Lakshadweep SF Express). "Railway officials are deployed round the clock at all sections to monitor the impact of flood on railway tracks, bridges and railway premises. Officials are also closely monitoring the situation from divisional and headquarters control offices," the release said. More than 25 trains were cancelled or rescheduled in Kerala on thursday in view of the unprecedented floods and landslides in the state, the Southern Railway said. Railway officials were closely monitoring the impact of flood on railway tracks, bridges and premises and in various sensitive locations, trains were being run at restricted speeds ranging from 10 kmph to 45 kmph, it said in a release here. Under instructions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Defence Ministry rushed in fresh teams of the three wings of military for relief and rescue operations in the state where over 1.5 lakh homeless and displaced people are taking shelter in relief camps. All but one of the state's 14 districts are on high alert, sources said. Twelve additional teams of of the National Disaster Response Force comprising about 540 personnel were also rushed to Kerala. Altogether 97 people have died till now in rain-related incidents in flood-hit Kerala. Battling savage weather conditions, the Indian navy began airlifting marooned people in Trichur, Aluva and Muvattupuzha. Dramatic videos showed people stranded atop flooded homes and hills being winched up by Navy choppers. The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), the country's apex body for handling emergency situations, met in New Delhi to take stock of the rapidly deteriorating situation caused by the worst floods the state has witnessed in close to a century. The meeting chaired by Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha​ was attended by chiefs of the three services, secretaries of home, defence and other top officials, PTI reported. Taking note of the gravity of the situation, the Supreme Court ordered the disaster management panel of the Mullaperiyar Dam to urgently decide on lowering the water level by three ft to 139 ft. Thousands of people are stranded in flood-hit areas in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Alappuzha districts are waiting for rescue teams to save their lives. Most of the people are trapped on the roof tops and upper floors of houses, apartments and hospitals for two to three days without drinking water, food and medicines. They include a large number of sick and aged people, pregnant women and children. The stranded people are unable to convey their plight to emergency responders as their mobile phones do not have charge. Many of them had communicated their location earlier. Officials at the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) said that the rescue team will proceed to rescue them according to the location shared earlier. The Kochi International Airport on Thursday extended the suspension of all services up to 2 pm on 26 August, with large parts of the facility flooded. "Kochi Airport operations is temporarily suspended up to 2 pm on 26 August due to very high flood situation and key essential facilities like runway, taxiway and apron are under submerged condition," an airport statement said. Newborn babies and patients in intensive care units of private hospitals in Aluva town of Ernakulam district were evacuated and shifted to facilities elsewhere. According to some reports, around 200 patients were stranded at a hospital in Muvattupuzha after rain water swamped the building, PTI reported. "Given the urgency, party members, sympathisers and the general public are requested to rush their individual contributions either through drafts/cheques drawn in favour of the party or send it directly to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund," the CPM said in a statement In many places in rain-battered Kerala, families trapped in high rise flats, students stranded in hostels and devotees in churches are using social media platforms to seek help and pass on information about their location. Videos of people pleading for help with folded hands, are being posted and shared by hundreds of people on WhatsApp groups since last night. Panic-struck relatives are also sharing the location of their near and dear ones trapped in various places using Google maps, PTI reported. Fisher folks from Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram have joined the Army and state police in rescuing people stranded in Pathanamthitta district following floods in Pampa river and its tributaries. About 130 fishermen who knows swimming have been pressed into action by the Trivandrum Latin Church diocese. The fishermen have arrived in Pathanamthitta with 50 fishing boats. The Indian Army, state police and local rescue groups are engaged in rescue operations at Pathanamthitta, Ranni and Chenganoor localities which are submerged in flood waters. More men, including special forces with diving and rescue equipment and helicopters, are being deployed as calls for rescue have been pouring in from various parts of the districts. Water level in the Chalakudy river in Thrissur has risen on Friday confounding the woes of thousands of people stranded in the Chalakudy town and surrounding areas.<doc-sep>New Delhi: Kerala has been pounded with twice the amount of rainfall this monsoon as compared to the rains that caused the 2013 Uttarakhand disaster, 2016 floods in Assam and 2017 floods in Bihar — and thrice the amount in the 2017 Gujarat floods. Kerala has received 2086 mm rainfall between June 1 and August 15, which is 30 percent more rainfall than normal. So far, 324 people have died in the floods while the toll is likely to go up. The state has been battered with 3.5 times the normal rainfall last week; more than 10 times the normal just on August 16 and another five times on Friday, August 17, the cumulative of which brought life in the south Indian state to a standstill. In 2013, a cloudburst had caused devastating floods and landslides in Uttarakhand. The death toll estimated was close to 5,700 people while only 1373 mm rainfall was recorded during the entire monsoon season, i.e. from July to September. Flood waters swept several states in the country on July 25 last year and 222 people were killed in Gujarat alone. The rainfall recorded here was 646 mm. Assam, which was flooded earlier this year in two waves from June 13 to August 3, recorded 1,373 mm rainfall, — a departure of 26 per cent from the normal. Forty one lives were lost and 11 lakh people were displaced. Flash floods in several rivers — Gandak, Burhi Gandak and Bagmati, Kamla, Kosi and Mahananda — killed as many as 514 people and affected another 1.71 crore people across 19 districts of North Bihar from August 12 to August 20 in 2017. The state received 937 mm rainfall that monsoon. Kerala is already witnessing floods of epic proportions, something which the state has not seen in a century. Not to mention, the deluge is nowhere near an end as the weather continues to worsen. According to a study published by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (Pune) in Nature, there have been 285 reported flooding events in India between 1950 and 2017, affecting about 850 million people, leaving 19 million homeless and killing about 71,000 people. Kerala floods is being accorded as a lower frequency but higher intensity flood, meaning the rainfall occurs for a short duration, however, the amount of precipitation is higher. The land development in low-lying areas have further changed the drainage pattern here. Soil retention capacity has become less and therefore, water quickly runs off to bulging streams and drains and rivers, causing flash floods. Though the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has assured that the impact of the low-pressure systems in Bay of Bengal is wearing off—meaning that there would be less rainfall—heavy showers are expected over some parts of Kerala.<doc-sep>
New Delhi: Kerala continued to reel under unprecedented floods on Saturday, with the death toll in the state climbing to 357. Rescue and relief efforts continued on a war footing as thousands of people stranded in isolated buildings and rooftops were rescued on Saturday, even as rains and fresh landslides were reported in some places. A large number of people, including senior citizens and children, were airlifted from isolated buildings, while many others were evacuated in army boats, large fishing vessels and makeshift yachts, official sources said. Packed house boats and rafts moving through inundated roads could be seen in all the flood-hit regions of the state. However, people in worst-hit places such as Pathanamthitta and Chengannur said hundreds were yet to be evacuated. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the toll in the floods had gone up to 357 after 33 more deaths were reported on Saturday. He added that 58,506 people were rescued the same day. A bed-ridden patient being rescued from a flood-affected region after heavy rainfall in Kochi on Saturday. (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who conducted an aerial survey of Kerala, announced a relief of Rs 500 crore even as states such as Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan and Arunachal Pradesh among others came forward to lend a helping hand to Kerala, which is facing its worst floods in over a century. Expressing gratitude, Vijayan said the Centre had been “helpful” and the state and Union governments had to work together to manage such situations like they did during Cyclone Ockhi. He added that Modi, home minister Rajnath Singh and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman were being given constant updates about the conditions in the flood-hit state and they understood the gravity of the situation. “We have incurred a loss of Rs 19,512 crore and sought Rs 2,000 crore. The Centre has promised Rs 600 crore so far,” he said. However, politics over the tragedy continued as Leader of Opposition Chennithala criticised the state for “failing in the endeavour” to rescue people. “I have been flooded with calls from the affected persons. Even now, thousands of people are stranded. The chief minister dismissed with contempt when I said this week that rescue and relief should be handed over to the army. I do not want to blame anyone but it has been proved beyond doubt that the state government has failed,” he said. Congress president Rahul Gandhi also asked the Prime Minister to not just release extra financial assistance for the state but also give the floods the status of a ‘national calamity’. To further aid rescue and relief efforts and help those stranded in the floods, the government announced that all mobile operators had offered free SMS and data services in Kerala. Union minister Suresh Prabhu said Alliance Air flights would be made operational for flood-hit Kerala in an effort to restore connectivity, even as he asked airlines to lower flight fares to and from the state. The Kochi air strip will also be opened for commercial flights, it was announced. In the highest-ever deployment of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in a single state since its raising, the force sent a total of 55 teams to relocate marooned people. Fifteen teams are operational in Thrissur, 13 in Pathanamthitta, 11 in Alappuzha, five in Ernakulum, four in Idukki, three in Mallapuram and two each in Wayanad and Kozhikode. On Saturday, two more teams were airlifted from Pune airport and one was ready for airlifting. An NDRF team rescues people from a house in Kerala's Chengannur on Saturday. A PIB press release said 67 helicopters, 24 aircraft, 548 motorboats and thousands of rescue personnel from Indian Navy, Army, Air Force, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Coast Guard, other CAPFs, have been pressed into service to rescue and evacuate people from submerged areas to relief camps and for distribution of relief materials. More than 6,900 life jackets, 3,000 life buoys, 167 inflatable tower lights, 2,100 raincoats, 1,300 gumboots and 153 chain saws have been provided as per the request of the state government. Meanwhile, in much-needed respite for the rain-battered state, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the intensity of rainfall would reduce in the next two to three days. Kerala is not expected to receive heavy rainfall from August 20, IMD additional director general said on Saturday. The Met department withdrew the red alert in eight districts and now it is applicable only in Ernakulam, Idukki and Pathanamthitta where heavy rainfall is predicted.