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In a relief to flood-hit Kerala, the Indian Meteorological Department has announced that the intensity of rains would decrease over the next few days, even as the death toll rose to 357 on Saturday. Over one lakh people have been relocated to relief camps across the state.
In unprecedented relief efforts, 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 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been pressed into service to rescue and evacuate people.
You can locate your nearest rescue centre via this map.
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With the death toll in the devastating floods rising to 114 in Kerala, and more than one lakh people living in relief camps across the state, the Centre on Thursday, 16 August, deployed all three wings of the armed forces in a massive rescue operation.
A red alert has been issued in 13 districts except Kasaragod on Friday, 17 August, reported ANI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he spoke to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan about the flood situation in the state. He also confirmed that he will visit the state later in the day.
Five units of National Disaster Response Force have reached Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, 17 August for rescue operations. Thirty five teams are expected to reach there later in the day, reported ANI.
The Kodagu-Mangalore highway has been blocked in Makanur area due to multiple landslides triggered due to heavy incessant rainfall in the region, reported ANI.
“We are landlocked as all roads leading out of Madikeri are blocked due to multiple landslides, we are unable to move to save people,” PRS Chetan, Civil Defense QRT (quick reaction team) told ANI.
Four capital ships of Indian Coast Guard have reached Kochi and joined the Disaster and Relief Team, reported ANI.
Twenty-four teams are already working in the flood-affected villages. Indian Coast Guard, so far, has rescued 1,764 people and guided 4,688 people to safer locations.
All wings of the defence forces have intensified further their rescue and relief operations in Kerala. A Navy aircraft transported relief material and Army personnel to flood hit areas on 16 August.
Relief camps were also set up inside an aircraft hangar in Naval Base Kochi.
Death toll due to floods has risen to 167, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan said on Friday, 17 August in a press briefing,
"At least, 4,000 people have been rescued by NDRF till 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," CM Vijayan was quoted by Firstpost as saying.
According to him, 16 teams of Army, 13 teams of Navy, 10 teams of Air Force, and 39 teams of NDRF are now engaged in the operations. The NDRF has so far rescued 4,000 people and Navy 550.
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the sub committee to examine and find ways, if possible, to ensure that the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam won't cross 139 feet, a reduced limit from the earlier 142 feet.
SC also asked Kerala and Tamil Nadu to abide by National Crisis Management Committee's directions on rehabilitation and water level reduction.
The court also sought a report from Kerala on steps taken on disaster management and rehabilitation measures.
The CM’s office asked people in need of rescue to add date and time along with exact location, any significant landmark, district, number of stranded people in all distress messages.
Railway Recruitment Board exams, scheduled for Friday, have been postponed owing to the prevailing flood situation, The News Minute reported. Close to 27,000 applicants were scheduled to sit for the exams. A revised exam date for Kerala will be announced shortly, TNM added.
Since the start of the rescue operation, the armed forces have rescued at least 3,000 persons, the Defence Ministry declared in a tweet. More than 750 persons have been provided medical care.
The have also made additional deployments to provide relief, including 1 helicopter each for every district in the state. Additionally, road safety has been restored in many locations.
The Navy airlifted a pregnant woman to safety in Kerala.
The woman, Sajita Jabeel, later gave birth to a boy.
In a tweet, the Chief Minister’s Office said that the death toll had now escalated to 324, urging people to donate for rellief material.
Rains lashed several parts of central and north Gujarat today after a dry spell this monsoon that had led to the state government terming the situation as "worrisome" in a review meeting held early this month.
Officials said that, since early morning today, it had been raining in central Gujarat districts like Panchmahals, Kheda, Anand and Ahmedabad and northern ones like Mehsana, Aravalli and Sabarkantha.
According to figures released by the state government, Kapadvanj in Kheda district received 145 mm of rains, Godhra town of Panchmahals received 120 mm, Sanand in Ahmedabad district received 110 mm and Matar in Kheda received 104 mm rainfall.
Navy rescue operations are currently underway in flood-affected areas.
Captain PE Prasad, Executive Officer, INS Venduruthy, said ,"315 people had taken shelter at Navy Camps, of which 53 have moved back to their relatives' places in & around Kochi.”
A total of 1,300 life jackets, 1,000 raincoats, 1,300 gumboots, 1,200 ready-to-eat meals, 1,500 food packets, 25 motorised boats and nine non-motorised boats have been provided by the Defence Ministry for the rescue and relief operations in Kerala, reported ANI.
Meanwhile, the Southern Railway dispatched seven BRN wagons with syntax tanks carrying 2.8 lakh litre drinking water from Tamil Nadu's Erode at 4 pm. Fifteen BRN flat wagons with syntax water tanks are also being moved from Chennai to Erode. The water will be dispatched to the Government of Kerala.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has announced Rs 10 crore immediate relief for flood-ravaged Kerala on Friday, 17 August.
According to an official statement, while Rs 5 crore is being transferred from the Punjab Chief Minister's Relief Fund to Kerala counterpart's relief fund, the remaining Rs 5 crore will be in the form of ready-to-eat food material and other supplies, to be flown there with the help of the Defence Ministry.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwalook to Twitter to announce that the Delhi government would contribute Rs 10 crore towards relief.
Saji Cherian, Chengannur MLA appealed for help, requesting for rescue operations in his constituency, stating that “thousands will die”.
Speaking to Asianet, Cherian alleged that despite repeated requests for helicopters and relief material, not much had been done.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kerala to take stock of the flood situation in the state. He was received by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala Governor P Sathasivam, and Union Tourism Minister KJ Alphons.
Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu has announced aid of Rs 10 crore for Kerala, ANI reported.
Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao also announced immediate financial help of Rs 25 crore for flood-hit Kerala.
Rao has instructed Chief Secretary S.K.Joshi to send the amount to Kerala immediately, ANI reported.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reiterated on Friday evening that the flood situation in the state continues to be serious even as intense rescue operations have managed to take over 80,000 people to safety.
Addressing a press conference on Friday evening at the capital, Thiruvananthapuram, he said that 82,442 people had been rescued on Friday, primarily with the help of navy and fisherfolks' boats.
According to official figures, 71,591 people had been rescued from Aluva district, 5,550 from Chalakudy, 3,060 from Chengannur, 2,000 from Kuttanad, and 741 from Thiruvalla and Aranmula.
(Source: The News Minute)
Meanwhile, ANI added that more than 500 people were rescued by ITBP personnel from Alleppey and Pathanamthitta.
Boats are being rushed into Chengannur in Alappuzha district hours after sitting MLA Saji Cheriyan issued an appeal to save thousands of his constituents. There are reports that heavy flow is making rescue difficult for boats.
Ten Navy boats have reportedly reached the area.
"Please give us a helicopter. I am begging you. Please help me, people in my place will die. Please help us. There is no other solution, people have to be airlifted. We did what we can with fishing boats we procured using our political clout. But we can't do more. The armed forces need to come here, please help us," Cheriyan had said.
ANI shared footage of a flooded Kalady from Kerala, even as rains continued to batter the state.
On the morning of Saturday, 18 August, Narendra Modi left from Thiruvananthapuram for an aerial survey of flood-affected areas of Kochi.
The Prime Minister took stock of the floods and rescue operations in a meeting with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the morning of 18 August. Following that, he conducted the aerial survey. He was accompanied by Vijayan, Governor P Sathasivam and Union Tourism Minister KJ Alphons during aerial survey of flood-affected areas.
The Prime Minister announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh per person to the next kin of the deceased, and Rs 50,000 to those seriously injured, from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Funds.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi tweeted on Saturday, 18 August, asking the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare the Kerala floods as a ‘National Disaster.’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced Rs 500 crore as immediate aid for Kerala floods, in addition to the 100 crore announced earlier, reported ANI.
The State Bank of India (SBI) has donated Rs 2 crore to Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) and announced waiver of fees and charges on services offered by the bank in Kerala.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) to form a committee to help flood-hit areas of Kerala. Sheikh Khalifa has reportedly instructed the formation of a national emergency committee to provide assistance to hose affected.
Achankovil river near Alappuzha's Kollakadavu village is overflowing following heavy rainfall in the area, reported ANI.
Speaking to ANI, a villager Shaukat said, “The area has been completely flooded. I have lost almost everything I had. The water level is increasing with every passing hour.”
PM Narendra Modi tweeted that the nation stood ‘firmly’ with Kerala. He joined the review meeting, after he undertook an aerial survey of the flood situation in the state.
Senior NDRF official Sanjay Kumar said that 58 teams of NDRF have been deployed in 8 affected districts and that over 7000 people have been evacuated to safer places, reported ANI.
He added more teams will be deployed if needed, reported ANI.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced an aid of Rs 10 crores for flood-hit Kerala on Saturday, 18 August.
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan said that he has thanked PM Modi for Rs 500 crore aid but has demanded more helicopters and boats.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced an aid of Rs 10 crores for flood-hit Kerala from Bihar CM Relief Fund.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced an aid of Rs 5 crores for flood-hit Kerala from CM Relief Fund. He has also announced that 245 fire personnel with boats will be sent to Kerala for rescue operations.
Protests were held at Jantar Mantar road on Saturday, 18 August, demanding that more funds be allocated for flood victims in Kerala.
Following Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s tweet, party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked for the Kerala Floods to be declared as ‘National Calamity.’
Several states lend their helping hands to flood ravaged Kerala, ANI reported.
NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) teams have rescued 194 persons and 12 livestock. They have also evacuated 10,467 and provided pre-hospital treatment to 159, ANI reported.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that all Aam Aadmi Party MLAs and MPs will be donating one month salary to Kerala.
Reiterating Congress’ demand of declaring the floods in Kerala a national disaster, Rahul Gandhi asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to ‘vacillate as the people of Kerala are suffering.’
Union Minister Piyush Goyal tweeted that the Railways would provide free transportation of relief material for Kerala through various state government agencies.
In the wake of massive floods in Kerala, the Centre on Saturday decided to open Kochi Naval airstrip for use by commercial aircraft by Monday and deploy five more choppers, taking the total number of aircraft used for rescue and relief to 96.
The services at the Kochi international airport, which is among the busiest in the country, have been suspended till 26 August after flood water inundated the runway.
The decisions were taken at a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), the country's apex body to handle emergency situation, headed by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha, PTI reported.
With a view to improve telephone connectivity, the Department of Telecom has enabled intra-circle roaming which will enable subscribers of one service provider to access mobile towers of other service providers.
All the operators have offered free data and SMS facility.
Mobile towers called 'Cellular on Wheels' are also being deployed to ensure that no block remains unconnected.
In unprecedented relief efforts 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 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been pressed into service to rescue and evacuate people.
The Cabinet Secretary directed five more helicopters to be mobilised by the IAF, Navy and ONGC which will be pressed into service by tomorrow, the statement said.
Additional motorboats have also been put on standby for deployment.
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.
So far, various central ministries have made available food, water and medicines which include 3,00,000 food packets, 6,00,000 MT of milk, 14,00,000 litres of drinking water, 150 potable water purification kits with capacity of 1,00,000 litre each.
The Railways informed that trains have been running to Thiruvananthapuram via Erode and Madurai.
Thirty three more lives were lost on Saturday, 18 August taking the Kerala floods death toll to 357, state’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in a press conference.
“We are in the middle of a disaster, we need unite as one to tackle it,” he added.
The IMD has said the intensity of rainfall is set to reduce in Kerala over the next two to three days. Meanwhile, the agency also withdrew red alert - barring three districts - Pathanamthitta, Idukki and Eranakulam, which were warned of an orange alert.
Relief materials being loaded on board Naval Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), Chetak helicopter & Naval Sea King helicopter at Naval Air Station INS Garuda in Kochi.
The Telangana government on Saturday dispatched 100 tonnes of nutritious food for children in flood-hit Kerala.
The food manufactured by Telangana Foods, a state government enterprise, was airlifted to Kerala on Saturday. According to officials, the food known as 'Balamrutham' is worth Rs 52.5 lakh.
The food was airlifted by two Defence aircraft (C17 Globemaster) from Begumpet Airport.
The food is expected to provide supplementary nutrition to about 50,000 children for 10 days, officials said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook an aerial survey of monsoon ravaged Kerala and announced an immediate assistance of Rs 500 crore, even as rain and landslides in some parts of the state caused concern.
Modi, who reviewed the flood situation in the state at a high level meeting in Kochi, also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh per person to the next of kin of those killed and Rs 50,000 to the seriously injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
The Kerala government, however, had sought an immediate assistance of Rs 2,000 crore and informed the Prime Minister that the state had suffered a loss of Rs 19,512 crore in the murderous monsoon.
Another landslide occurred on Madikeri Road in Kodagu, Karnataka on Sunday, 19 August. The road was already blocked due to several earlier landslides in last four days. An operation to rescue stranded people is underway, reported ANI.
A community kitchen has been setup at Kochi naval base which is catering to nearly 7000 people affected by the floods, reported ANI.
IAS officers in Andhra Pradesh have pledged to donate their one day's salary to Kerala, reported PTI. The Andhra Pradesh government has also announced a financial assistance of Rs 10 crore to rain-ravaged Kerala.
A temporary bridge is being built by Rapid Action Force(RAF) in Erumachery to block flooding water. Dy Commandant, RAF Coimbatore,says,"After dam gates were opened,overflowing water damaged roads in area & entered paddy fields. Bridge will stop the overflow.'
According to the the Indian Meteorological Department, rainfall is gradually expected to decrease in Kerala over the next five days. There will be no heavy rainfall in the state over the mentioned period, said Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, IMD.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has tweeted saying that he has spoken to Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy regarding the flood situation in parts of the state. He also prayed for the safety and well-being of those in the flood affected areas.
Massive landslides occurred at Nelliyampathy hill roads in Palakkad, Kerala. Road clearing operations are underway.
Telangana Home Minister N Narasimha Reddy on Sunday, 19 August, handed over a cheque for Rs 25 crore to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at Thiruvananthapuram towards the state government's assistance for flood relief activities.
Reddy also announced donation of his one month salary to the Kerala CM relief fund, an official release in Hyderabad said, reported PTI.
More than 15,000 people have been evacuated from floods and heavy rains affected areas of Kerala till now and rescue operations have been stepped up in a number of badly-affected locations, the NDRF said on Sunday, 19 August.
The federal disaster contingency force said a total of 58 teams, with about 30-35 personnel in each team, are "working in difficult conditions and terrain to deal with the worst flood in over a century" in the southern state, reported PTI.
By the eleventh day of the disaster, National Disaster Response Force teams have rescued 348 people and 50 animals, he said.
In an extremely humane show of compassion for those affected by the Kerala floods, a young girl from Vizhuppuram, Tamil Nadu has donated Rs. 9,000 to the Kerala Flood Relief. This was a sum she had saved over four years to buy a bicycle for herself.
The Odisha CM on Sunday, 19 August, announced additional financial assistance of Rs 5 crore for Kerala from Chief Minister's Relief Fund, in addition to Rs 5 Crore sanctioned earlier. He has also ordered 500 MT of polythene sheets worth about Rs 8 crores to be sent to Kerala.
Odisha has also sent 244 Fire Service Personnel trained in rescue operations with 65 rescue boats and other equipment to Kerala to help in the rescue operations underway.
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik also directed Odisha Relief Commissioner to extend all help to people from the state stranded in Kerala, reported ANI.
Union Health Minister J P Nadda on Sunday said his ministry is extending all support to the relief measures in flood-battered Kerala, where 3,757 medical relief camps have been set up, reported PTI.
Pope Francis on Sunday called on the international community to provide "concrete support" to the victims in flood-battered Kerala, according to PTI.
Pope Francis prayed for the victims of the flooding at St Peter's Square, the Vatican News reported.
The Manipur government on Sunday, 19 August, donated Rs 2 crore as flood relief for the victims of Kerala hit by days of incessant rainfall and massive floods, reported PTI.
"People of Manipur stand in solidarity with the people of Kerala, may you find comfort in knowing that the rest of India stand with you. The people of Manipur pray for you and extending a sum of Rs 2 crore to relief funds from the state, Chief Minister N Biren Singh said.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will be airlifting 60 tonnes of emergency medicines on Monday, 20 August.
A special train with 14 lakh litres of water and a Navy ship with 8 lakh litres of water will also reach Kerala by Monday, the Government of India announced, according to ANI.
Locals in Palakkad's Alathur village are reconstructing the main road near Venganoor bridge, washed due to rain, by contributing money.
Jharkhand Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affair Minister, Saryu Roy today said he would donate Rs one lakh to the Kerala Chief Minister's Relief Fund in the wake of the devastating flood in the southern state, reported PTI.
Rai said he would donate the money from his own personal capacity.
In a show of solidarity with Kerala, Qatar has announced a donation of $5 million as relief to the flood hit state, The News Minute reported. The amount is to help those who have lost their homes following the rains and flooding in the state.
Sending his condolences to President Ram Nath Kovind, Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, wished the state and its people a speedy recovery, according to reports.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said his state would give Rs 3 crore aid to rain-ravaged Kerala, where 210 have died in the last 10 days.
"The Government of Assam would extend financial aid of Rs 3 crore to Kerala government in view of the devastating flood in the southern state," an official release said quoting the chief minister.
Sonowal also directed the state Revenue and Disaster Management Department to open helplines to expedite the process of providing relief and rescuing people of Assam stranded in Kerala, it said.
Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mohammad Mahmood Ali on Sunday announced that he will donate his one month salary to Kerala for relief.
People belonging to Sikh community in Kochi prepared food and provided it to relief camps.
"For the past three days, we are serving food to more than 1000 people. We're preparing food inside Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha in hygienic conditions," the co-ordinator said.
Indian Air Force (IAF) dropped relief materials in various locations of Ernakulam and Thrissur districts.
Kanwariyas carried kanwars from Garh Mukteshwar to Amroha to pray for the people affected due to flood in Kerala, ANI reported.