324 killed, nearly 2L displaced in Kerala
NEW DELHI: Kerala’s most brutal monsoon in a century has killed 324 people over the last nine days, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said, issuing a fresh rain alert for the battered state. Nearly 2 lakh people have been displaced. The state, battling floods and landslides, plunged deeper into crisis on Friday, with hospitals facing a shortage of oxygen and fuel stations running dry. Rescue efforts have been progressing on a war footing, and Vijayan said he had spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reached Kerala on Friday evening.
“Kerala is facing its worst flood in 100 years. 80 dams opened, 324 lives lost and 223139 people are in about 1500+ relief camps,” read a tweet from the Chief Minister’s Office.
Till now, 42 Navy, 16 Army, 28 Coast Guard and 39 National Disaster Relief Force teams were engaged in rescue operations. Another 14 NDRF teams are expected to reach shortly. The military has pushed in more than 200 boats. Another four aircraft and three Coast Guard ships have also been brought in.
Flood waters from the Periyar river and its tributaries have submerged many towns in Ernakulam and Thrissur. An alarming situation has developed in Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Pathanamthitta districts, where roads have become completely submerged. Thousands of people are still perched on trees and rooftops, waiting to be rescued. Water has started entering relief camps.
On Friday morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Had a telephone conversation with Kerala CM Shri Pinarayi Vijayan just now. We discussed the flood situation across the state and reviewed rescue operations. Later on Friday evening, I will be heading to Kerala to take stock of the unfortunate situation due to flooding.”
Though the met office has said the rainfall will continue till Saturday, the intensity has lessened slightly. A tweet from the Chief Minister’s Office on Friday morning said, “All districts apart from Kasargod are under red alert. The Meteorological Department warns that heavy rains may affect these 13 districts.”
Domestic airlines have been asked to keep a check on airfares for flights operating to and from Kerala. Telecom operators have announced free call and data services and other relief measures for a week for users in Kerala.
NEW DELHI: As many as 868 people have lost their lives, 247 of them in Kerala, due to rains, floods and landslides in seven states during the monsoon season so far, the Home Ministry said on Friday.
According to the Home Ministry’s National Emergency Response Centre (NERC), 247 people have died in Kerala, where 2.11 lakh people in 14 districts have been badly hit by the rains and floods and over 32,500 hectares of crops damaged.
As many as 191 people have died in Uttar Pradesh, 183 people in West Bengal, 139 in Maharashtra, 52 in Gujarat, 45 in Assam and 11 in Nagaland.
A total of 33 people have also been missing, 28 in Kerala and five in West Bengal, while 274 have been injured in rainrelated incidents in the states.
The deluge and rains have hit 26 districts in Maharashtra, 23 in Assam, 23 in West Bengal, 14 in Kerala, 13 in Uttar Pradesh, 11 in Nagaland and 10 in Gujarat.
Nearly two lakh people have been living in relief camps in Kerala and 43 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) consisting of People wade through a waterlogged street after heavy rains at Maninagar in Ahmedabad on Friday
nearly 2,000 rescuers and 163 boats have been deployed in the state.
The IAF has deployed 23 helicopters and 11 transport aircraft. Some of the aircraft are being flown in from Yelahanka (Karnataka) and Nagpur (Maharashtra).
The Indian Navy has deployed 51 boats along with diving teams and 1,000 life jackets and 1,300 gumboots are being rushed to Kerala today. It has flown 16 sorties in last two days in rescue operations and it will airdrop 1,600 food packets on Friday.
The Coast Guard has deployed 30 boats along with rescue teams, 300 life jackets, seven life rafts and 144 life buoys.
The Army has pressed into service 10 columns, 10 Engineering Task Forces (ETFS), 60 boats and 100 life jackets.
One unit of the Territorial Army has also been deployed in Kerala.
In Assam, 11.45 lakh people have borne the brunt of the rains and floods, which have also hit crops in 27,600 hectares of land.
Altogether 14 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), comprising 357 rescuers, are engaged in rescue and relief operations in Assam, the NERC said.
In West Bengal, 2.27 lakh people have been affected by the floods and crops in 48,550 hectares have been damaged.
In Uttar Pradesh, 1.74 lakh people are affected by the monsoon rains which have also damaged 33,855 hectares of crops.
Nine NDRF teams are deployed in Uttar Pradesh, eight in West Bengal, seven in Gujarat, four in Maharashtra and one in Nagaland.