Woman gives birth after being winched to safety as helicopters intensify Kerala flood rescue effort

RESCUERS in helicopters and boats fought through renewed torrential rain yesterday to reach stranded villages in India’s Kerala state as the death toll from the worst monsoon floods in a century rose above 320.

Dozens of military and coastguard helicopters took troops to high risk areas in the search for people trapped on the roofs of submerged buildings.

Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, described the crisis as “devastating” after visiting Kerala.

Pinarayi Vijayan, the Kerala chief minister, announced on Friday evening that the death toll had risen to 324.

Media reports said at least 14 more bodies were found yesterday and state officials said they expected the number to rise as more landslides were reported and dam levels remained dangerously high.

With power and communication lines down, thousands of people re- mained trapped in towns and villages cut off by the floods amid growing shortages of food and water.

Helicopters have been dropping emergency food and water supplies across Kerala, while trains carrying drinking water and rice have been sent to the state.

Particular fears have been raised for Chengannur, about 120km (75 miles) north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram, which has been cut off for four days. Troops and military boats have been sent to the town.

Saji Cherian, who represents the town in the Kerala assembly, feared there were at least 50 dead in the town and broke down in tears as he pleaded for more help on Asianet TV late on Friday. “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,” he said. Dozens of o military helicopters stepped up rescue r operations across the state and in i one, a heavily pregnant woman, Sajita Sajit Jabeel, 25, left, gave birth just after aft her rescue, an Indian Navy spokesman spokesm said. “It was a very critical case, the t lady was in labour, her waters had broken,” the pilot, Commandeer mandee Vijay Verma told News18 News television.

“We “W took a doctor along, we winched her up, it took some so time though because we w had to winch down two people p to help her get on to the strop.” Authorities have warned that more rains and strong winds are predicted for many parts of Kerala today.