Londonderry families are ‘trapped’ after Indian floods

UP to a dozen families from Londonderry are believed to be trapped in India’s flood-ravaged southern state of Kerala after heavy monsoon rains.

The local families are reportedly members of Londonderry Kerala Association who had travelled to India to visit family members.

Nearly 400 people have been killed during the worst flooding to hit the region in a century, while up to 725,000 people have been forced to seek refuge in relief camps.

Londonderry woman Mekha

Ann Saji, who travelled with her father Saji M George and other members of the group, said they had escaped the worst of the floods “only by luck”.

“We got out half an hour before the big flood. It was building up but then the major floods all around Kerala struck that day when we left,” she told BBC Radio Foyle.

“It was only by luck that we got back here.”

But she added that “around 10 or 12” Londonderry families were still trapped there.

“Themajorairportwealluse, where all of us get our flights from, is now closed and it is closed until August 26,” she explained.

Her father Saji M George added: “People don’t have food or clean water, they don’t have fuel to cook. They are trapped, they cannot move from one place to another. We hope it will come to an end soon.”

Rains have been diminishing in parts of Kerala state, where officials have put initial storm damage estimates at nearly £2.35 billion, but thousands of people remain cut off.

The torrential rains began on August 8 in Kerala in the midst of the annual monsoon season, leaving much of the state partially submerged. Volunteers in a boat rescue

stranded people from a flooded area in Chengannur

The Indian military opened an air base in Kochi on Monday for commercial flights to bring in relief goods and fly out residents.

The Minister of Civil Aviation said on Twitter that other air bases in the region should open to commercial traffic soon.