Kerala floods latest updates: Kerala Assembly Speaker P Sriramakrishnan was seen helping clean the houses affected due to floods in his constituency Ponnani in Malappuram district. Twenty five judges belonging to the Supreme Court have decided to donate Rs 25,000 each towards the relief fund for Kerala floods. Meanwhile, a house in Kochi has painted a thank you note on the roof of a house to express their gratitude for Naval Commander Vijay Varma who had rescued two women from the area on 17 August. As of 12 pm on Monday, 14 districts have been affected due to heavy rains and floods in Kerala. Over 5 lakh people from 775 villages have been affected. A total of 361 people have died in rain-related incidents. The Madikeri-Mangaluru national highway is damaged from Jodupala (8 kilometres from Madikeri) to Sampaje, owing to huge landslide. Officials say it will take weeks to repair the road. On Monday, the Indian Army, navy, and coast guard deployed 243 motorised, 24 non-motorised and 21 hired boats to conduct the rescue and relief operations in Kerala, said the defence ministry. Asserting that the rescue operations in Kerala have not yet been called off, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command, Lieutenant General DR Soni said they will make up for the shortcomings in the rescue operations. Chief Justice Dipak Misra on Monday said that all Supreme Court judges will contribute to the Kerala flood relief fund, PTI reported. Earlier Attorney General KK Venugopal had donated Rs 1cr towards the relief fund. As flood waters recede in Kerala, residents are greeted with decomposing carcasses of animals killed in the deadly floods that took the lives of 370 people so far. Hundreds of such carcasses have been found floating in water in Alappuzha and Chalakudy. Union minister JP Nadda said that till now, 3,757 medical camps have been set up across flood-hit Kerala. He said there is a requirement of 90 different medicines and that the first batch has already reached. Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu called a review meeting on Kerala floods with Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh Narayan Singh and decided to donate a month’s salary for relief measures in the state. The first batch of passengers arrived at INS Garuda Kochi Naval Air Station as commercial flights service began at the station due to flooding of Cochin International Airport. The district collector of Ernakulam in Kerala said on Monday that all rescue operations in the district have been completed. However, rescue efforts are going on in Kuttanad in Alappuzha where hundreds are still believed to be stranded. Rainfall over Kerala during the South West Monsoon (June 1 to Aug 19) has been exceptionally high. Kerala has so far received 2346.6 mm rains against the normal of 1649.5 mm, according to IMD. High-range Idukki recorded the highest excess rainfall (92 percent above normal) followed by Palakkad (72 percent above normal). Fifty-five doctors from JJ Hospital in Mumbai, and 26 doctors from Pune’s Sassoon hospital and paramedical staff will leave for Thiruvananthapuram in two Air India aircraft. Railways restored passenger and express train services in the flood-hit Ernakulam district in Kerala due to “early completion of restoration works in the division”. The rise in water level in Periyar had a major impact on the flood situation with waters marooning many houses and commercial establishments in Aluva, Paravur and Perumbavoor. With over 7.24 lakh people taking shelter in 5,645 relief camps, the government on Sunday directed the central ministries to focus on providing essential commodities and medicine and restoration of vital services in flood-hit Kerala. In view of the grave situation in Kerala due to floods, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called off his proposed trip to the US for medical treatment, an official said on Saturday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said there is no alert for heavy showers for the next four days in the state, and that the intensity of rainfall had decreased over the past two days. On Sunday, around 22,000 people were rescued in Kerala in the operations launched by the defence personnel, national and state disaster response forces, fishermen and local people. Meanwhile, Alliance Air’s first flight from Bengaluru has just landed at the Kochi Naval Air Base. Its a 70-seater small flight. [caption id=“attachment_4992011” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
People being rescued from flood-affected regions in Kerala. PTI[/caption] Commercial flights will resume operations from the Kochi naval base in Kerala from Monday, and all arrangements for logistics for this have been put in place, an official press release from the Centre. Only small commercial flights will begin operations from the naval base. The deadly monsoon rains that savaged Kerala claimed 13 more lives on Sunday, taking the toll to 210 in the last ten days as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said most of the marooned had been rescued and the focus would now be on their rehabilitation. In a big relief, there was respite from the rains in most parts of the state on Sunday after nearly two weeks of virtually non-stop downpour and the red alert has been lifted in several districts. President Ram Nath Kovind spoke to Kerala Governor P Sathasivam and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and enquired about the situation and acknowledged the grit and resilience of the people in coming together in this trying hour. “Assured the people of the state that entire nation was with them,” the Rashtrapati Bhavan tweeted. The deadliest deluge in close to a century has claimed 210 lives since 8 August and nearly 400 since 29 May when the south west monsoon set in over Kerala. More than 80 dams were opened, leading to floods while the rains also triggering landslides. High-range Idukki district, Malappuram and Thrissur are among the worst hit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday undertook an aerial survey of monsoon ravaged areas and announced an immediate assistance of Rs 500 crore. In good news, the rainfall intensity over Kerala has decreased over the past two days, the meteorology department said on Sunday, adding there is no alert of heavy precipitation for the next four days in the state. The number of those displaced in the torrential rains was on Sunday put at 7.24 lakh by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who said most of the affected had been rescued and the government’s focus would now be their rehabilitation. Thirteen people lost their lives on Sunday and 7,24,649 lakh people were in 5,645 relief camps, he told reporters after a review meeting. Around 22,000 people were rescued on Sunday in the operations launched by the defence personnel, national and state disaster response forces, fishermen and local people. He was all praise for the efforts put in by personnel of the army, navy, air force, coast guard, NDRF, fishermen and local people in rescuing people. The chief minister said in each panchayat six health officers would be deployed to ensure there was no outbreak of any communicable diseases as the flood water recedes. Vijayan said the state government would distribute 36 lakh textbooks free of cost to school children who had lost their books in the floods. Commercial flight operations from Kochi, hit following the closure of its international airport due to flooding, would resume on Monday from the naval airport to Coimbatore and Bengaluru, bringing some relief to travellers. Meanwhile, as flood waters receded in some areas, people in relief camps have slowly started returning to their homes. The railways cancelled at least 18 trains, partially cancelled nine others and diverted Kanyakumari-Mumbai CST express train via Nagercoil on Sunday. Skeletal services were run between Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram and on Alappuzha-Kottayam routes. The trains were packed with flood affected people moving to the houses of their friends and relatives. Efforts are on to restore power and water supply in areas where the power systems have been completely destroyed. The government also decided to pay Rs 3,000 per day each to the fishermen who participated in the rescue operations. Amid horrors of the torrential rains, the wedding of a woman inmate on Sunday brought cheers to a relief camp in northern Malappuram district. Twenty four-year-old Anju, the bride, staying with her family members at the camp for the last three days after her house was submerged in flood, entered into wedlock with Shaiju at a nearby temple. Meanwhile, several people who reached their houses found it difficult to control their tears seeing their dwelling in total disarray. Muddy homes, utensils strewn all over and furniture turned upside down greeted some of them as they come back. Many buildings have developed cracks and pillars were seen perched precariously after water receded in some places. “Our life has been destroyed. My pension book has gone,” said an elderly woman near Kochi. Near the Nedumbassery airport, bodies of at least 20 animals could be seen floating in the waters. As per a preliminary estimate, there was Rs 4,441 crore loss to the government following the damage to roads and bridges. At least 220 bridges have been damaged and 59 were still under water, officials said. With inputs from PTI
Kerala floods updates: State Assembly Speaker P Sriramakrishnan cleans affected houses in his constituency in Malappuram
Kerala Assembly Speaker P Sriramakrishnan was seen helping clean the houses affected due to floods in his constituency Ponnani in Malappuram district.
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Andhra Pradesh govt employees donate Rs 20 cr for Kerala
Andhra Pradesh government employees and pensioners announced a donation of Rs 20 crore towards flood relief in Kerala.
State government employees, teachers and pensioners will pool the amount and donate it to Kerala Chief Ministers Disaster Relief Fund, according to Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers Association president P Ashok Babu.
A delegation of NGO leaders met Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in Amaravati and requested that a proportionate amount be deducted from their salary and pension for August and credited to the Kerala CMDRF.
IAS Officers Association of Andhra Pradesh also announced contribution of one day’s salary towards flood relief in Kerala.
PTI
Kerala Assembly Speaker cleans houses affected due to floods in Malappuram
Kerala Assembly Speaker P Sriramakrishnan was seen helping clean the houses affected due to floods in his constituency Ponnani in Malappuram district.
Image courtesy: News18
G Parameshwara visits relief centres in Kushalnagar, Sunticoppa and Madikeri
Karnataka deputy chief minister G Parameshwara on Monday visited various relief centres in Kushalnagar, Sunticoppa and Madikeri. He will hold an officers’ meeting in Madikeri now He also visited rain-hit residential areas in Kushalnagar and Madikeri on Monday.
Input by Coovercolly Indresh/101 Reporters
Kerala must learn lessons from 2004 tsunami relief work in neighbouring Tamil Nadu
The ongoing floods situation in devastated Kerala takes one back to the weeks when parts of Tamil Nadu was battered by the December 2004 tsunami.
On the face of it, comparing tsunami to floods may look as preposterous as comparing fracture to a scratch. But there are as many dis-similarities between the two disasters, as there are similarities at least in some aspects of rehabilitation that Tamil Nadu needed then and Kerala needs now. And there are lessons that those grappling with the Kerala disaster can learn from.
In Tamil Nadu alone, tsunami killed as many as 7,000 people. However, despite the massive difference in the death toll, the task of rehabilitation that lies ahead of Kerala will be same, if not bigger, than what its neighbouring state had to face.
Click here to read moreGovt has asked industrialists, business organisations to help Kerala: Prabhu
The government has asked industrialists and business organisations to provide whatever help they feel is appropriate to flood-affected Kerala, which is facing a “humanitarian crisis”, Union minister Suresh Prabhu said.
Prabhu, who holds the portfolios of Commerce and Industry as well as Civil Aviation, also said that domestic airlines have been persuaded to carry cargo free of cost to the state.
Making it clear that the Centre does not want to do “politics” with regard to providing rescue and relief to Kerala, Prabhu said it is only facilitating help. “Govt has asked industrialists and business organisations… to help in whatever (way) they feel is appropriate,” Prabhu said.
PTI
Southern Railway services affected due to closure of Palakkad and Trivandrum area
Several train services run by the Southern Railway have been partially or fully cancelled due to flooding in Palakkad and Trivandrum.
Maritime bodies pledge support to flood-ravaged Kerala
Leading maritime bodies — MASSA, MUI and NUSI — have pledged to donate Rs 30 lakh to flood-ravaged Kerala for relief operations. Besides, Anglo Eastern Shipping Group (AESG), Hong Kong said it would provide about $50,000 (about Rs 35 lakh) to the state.
The Maritime Association of Ship owners Ship managers and Agents (MASSA), The Maritime Union of India (MUI) and National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) will each donate Rs 10 lakh to CMDRF, the three organisations said in a joint statement.
MASSA chairman Prashant Rangnekar said, “In the current situation, MASSA is committed to help the maritime state of Kerala which has contributed immensely to the growth of India’s maritime sector. Many MASSA members too have declared to donate huge sum to CMDRF.”
PTI
Kodagu administration releases list of relief materials needed on priority
Kodagu district administration released a list of relief materials needed on priority. The list includes items like torch lights, mosquito repellants, cooking oil, plastic buckets, warm clothing sanitary napkins, candles and match boxes.
Situation in Kerala improving, rescue ops almost complete: Vice Admiral Luthra
The situation in Kerala is improving and the rescue operations are almost complete, with efforts now moving towards relief and rehabilitation, a senior Navy officer said on Monday.
“As far as the Navy is concerned, we have stepped up our efforts specifically in the last four-five days and today, as you know, the effort is moving more towards providing relief and subsequently towards rehabilitation,” Vice Admiral Girish Luthra Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Western Naval Command (WNC) told reporters in Srinagar.
“The initial part of rescue has been more or less completed, although a few people may be trapped in different areas. We will be reaching to them and making sure that they are also taken to safe locations,” he said.
PTI
Assam govt announces Rs 3 crore aid to Kerala
The Assam government has announced a financial aid of Rs 3 crore to Kerala. In a statement, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the people of his state have expressed profound grief and sorrow at the unprecedented floods that hit Kerala.
“We can very well realise the pain perpetrated by the floods to the people of Kerala as the people of Assam face such kind of furry every year,” he said.
PTI
GoAir to operate special flights between Mumbai and Trivandrum from 20 to 26 August
‘Thanks’ painted on rooftop for Naval relief operations
A house in Kochi has painted a thank you note on the roof of a house to express their gratitude for Naval Commander Vijay Varma who had rescued two women from the area on 17 August.
Pressure on land resources could be reason behind rain fury, says ex-ISRO chairman
Pressure on Kerala’s limited land resources due to the growing population, denudation of the Western Ghats and climate change could be the reasons behind the floods that have ravaged the state, eminent scientist K Kasturirangan has said.
The former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation noted that the state’s population had increased in the last century and it “has its own pressures on the environment and resources”.
“So, together there has been an impact on the environment … The population has increased, there is more demand on resources, which includes land, agriculture and many other activities,” he said.
PTI
Kerala minister says health and sanitation is state’s priority
Kerala health minister KK Shailaja said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had discussed the situation in the state with the ministry officials. “Our priority right now is health and sanitation. We have all the resources required to help the people and we also urge them to come forward if they any issue related to the same,” she said.
25 Supreme Court judges to contribute Rs 25,000 each towards Kerala floods relief fund
Twenty five judges belonging to the Supreme Court have decided to donate Rs 25,000 each towards the relief fund for Kerala floods.
Prisoners prepare chapathis for flood victims in Kerala
The inmates of the central prison in Thiruvananthapuram are toiling hard to feed those staying in relief camps across Kerala, where the worst flood of the century has claimed 210 lives since August 8 and displaced over 7 lakh people.
Ever since the torrential rains started lashing the state causing massive destruction across its length and breadth, the prisoners began preparing large number of chapathis and vegetable curry for relief camp inmates and those stranded in marooned houses.
PTI
Indian Air Force sets up a medical camp at Thiruvalla
The Indian Air Force shared visuals from a medical camp that was set up at Thiruvalla on Monday.
NDMA shares report on Kerala floods
As of 12 pm on Monday, 14 districts have been affected due to heavy rains and floods in Kerala. Over 5 lakh people from 775 villages have been affected. A total of 361 people have died in rain-related incidents.
Gurdwara committee sends relief material from Punjab
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is sending two relief camp teams to Kerala; one by road and the other by air.
Madikeri-Mangaluru highway damaged due to landslide
The Madikeri-Mangaluru national highway is damaged from Jodupala (8 kilometres from Madikeri) to Sampaje, owing to huge landslide. Officials say it will take weeks to repair the road. In some places, miscreants have started collecting donations in the name of Kodagu victims. Rescue workers have appealed people to inquire before contributing.
Input by Coovercolly Indresh/ 101Reporters
Research establishments send food for Kodagu
Mysore-based Defence Food Research laboratories (DFRL) and Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) supplied one truck load high-protein biscuits, upma, lemon rice, dal, rice to Kodagu district. The largest self-help group micro-finance organisation of the state, Shri Kshetra Dharmastala Rural development programme (SKDRDP) extended two weeks time to repay weekly installments to its members.
Input by Coovercolly Indresh/101Reporters
Thirteen villages completely destroyed in Kodagu
According to Kodagu district officials, more than 1,128 houses have completely collapsed, while more than 1,700 houses were partially damaged due to the heavy rains. The district has a total of 296 villages, of which 235 villages have been hit by rains and landslides. Thirteen villages have been completely destroyed or have seen life-threatening landslides. More than 50,000 people incurred losses and are in distress. Nearly 5,000 victims have been provided shelter in 41 relief camps set up three taluks — Madikeri , Virajpet and Somwarpet. The areas in Madikeri taluk suffered maximum damage.
Input by Coovercolly Indresh/101Reporters
CISF distributes rations, eatables, clothes, blankets, drinking water in flood-hit areas
Telangana IAS officers to donate a day’s salary towards Kerala relief fund
Telangana IAS Officers’ Association on Monday said it has resolved to contribute at least one day salary of the serving officers to the Kerala Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
Expressing concern at the loss of lives and hardship faced by the people in the floods, the association extended solidarity and support for the ongoing rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts being carried out in the state. “The Telangana State IAS Officers’ Association further resolved to contribute at least one day salary of the serving IAS officers in Telangana to the CM Relief Fund of Kerala as a small contribution to the rescue, relief and rehabilitation work,” a statement issued by the association said.
Baba Ramdev sends relief material worth Rs 50 lakh to Kerala, Karnataka
“The nation is proud of the rescue and relief operations conducted by our security forces in the flood affected areas,” yoga guru Baba Rambev added.
30,000 people rescued by armed forces
Around 30,000 people have been successfully rescued by Indian Armed Forces in flood affected areas while 3,500 people have been provided medical aid in flood affected areas of Kerala.
WATCH: Pregnant, paralysed woman rescued to safety near Aluva
A wheelchair-bound (paralysed below waist) pregnant woman was winched to safety in a very challenging hover by Captain P Rajkumar Shaurya Chakra near north of Aluva.
Armed forces deploy 243 motorised, 24 non-motorised, 21 boats to conduct rescue ops
On Monday, the Indian Army, navy, and coast guard deployed 243 motorised, 24 non-motorised and 21 boats to conduct the rescue and relief operations in Kerala, said the defence ministry.
NDMA issues advisory for those stranded in Kerala
The NDMA issued an advisory on Monday and asked people to not venture deep, unkwon waters. “Use a stick to measure depth,” read the advisory.
‘Rescue ops have not been called off yet’: Army commander supervising relief ops
Asserting that the rescue operations in Kerala have not yet been called off, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command, Lieutenant General DR Soni said they will make up for the shortcomings in the rescue operations. “The rescue operations have not been called off. People are inaccessible, mobile phones are switched. We have 17 satellite phones. We also have some drones which we will deploy in rain-less condition,” he said.
“Around 70 teams are present there with boats, life vests and food packets. Places where light and helicopters can’t reach my boys have reached,” he added.
Malayali Associatation in Jamshedpur cancels Onam celebrations
A Malayali association in Jamshedpur has decided to cancel Onam celebrations this year in view of the devastating floods in Kerala that claimed over 370 lives and rendered more than seven lakh people homeless, reported News18.
Kerala Samajam, comprising 3.000 members, celebrates Onam in a grand manner every year, but this time no one is in a mood to rejoice, said Sunil Kumar, the general secretary of the association.
SC judges will also contribute to Kerala flood relief fund, says CJI Dipak Misra
Chief Justice Dipak Misra on Monday said that all Supreme Court judges will contribute to the Kerala flood relief fund, PTI reported. Earlier Attorney General KK Venugopal had donated Rs 1cr towards the relief fund.
A bench comprising CJI and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud made the observation during the hearing of a PIL that had sought barring of lawmakers from practising in courts across the country.
“We are also making some contribution. Judges of this court are also making contribution for the flood relief fund,” the bench said. The observation came after Attorney General KK Venugopal referred to the “grave tragedy” that has struck Kerala rendering 10 million people homeless.
State minister on Germany trip returns after rap from Pinarayi Vijayan
Kerala forest minister K Raju returned from his Germany trip after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan censured him for going abroad while the state drowned in the worst floods since 1924, reported India Today.
On Saturday, Vijayan cancelled his visit to the Mayo Clinic in the US.
NDRF personnel rescue pregnant woman in Alapad village in Thrissur district
Kozhikode teen ends life after rains destroy school certificates
Heartbroken on finding his Class 12 certificates destroyed in the devastation caused by the deadly monsoon in Kerala, a 19-year-old boy, committed suicide, police said on Monday.
With his house fully waterlogged in the downpour, the boy, and his parents, hailing from Karanthur in Kozhikode district, had moved to a relief camp three days ago. Kailash had got admission for a course in the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) and had purchased new clothes and set apart some money for higher studies, they said.
As the rains abated for a while, he returned home on Sunday to take a look at the house and was shocked to find his plus two certificates soaked in water and in tatters. A police officer attached to the Kunnamanagalam station said the boy’s death came to light later in the day on Sunday when his parents came to clean up the house as the water receded.
Over 50,000 people rescued in Ernakulam in last four days
Rescue operations in the flood-ravaged Ernakulam district was declared to be on Monday morning over with more than 50,000 people rescued in the last four days, The Hindu quoted district collector Mohammed Y Safirulla as saying. Only those stranded at Kuthiyathodu in North Paravur and Poovathussery in Parakkadavu block in Angamaly remain to be evacuated. “We are waiting for the road to those areas to become accessible,” Safirulla told The Hindu.
Life in Idukki limps back to normalcy
On Monday, as water slowly receded, life in Idukki district, one of the worst affected in the Kerala floods, limped back to normalcy. Work is in progress to re-establish connectivity and restore communication.
College students in Chengannur create Google doc to record list of people lodged in relief camps
Students and employees of Chengannur Engineering College and Christian College have put together a list of people lodged in relief camps and are updating the list as and when people are coming, reported News18. They said that since connectivity is low in Chengannur following the devastating floods, the list would help people relocate their relatives. You can access the Google doc here.
Karnataka: 181 people rescued in Kodagu
“We have rescued 181 people from multiple locations. 41 government relief camps are being currently run. We are providing medical and other facilities,” said Sreevidya PI, Deputy Commissioner of Kodagu District.
As rains abate, animal carcasses pose risk to public health in Kerala
As flood waters recede in Kerala, residents are greeted with decomposing carcasses of animals killed in the deadly floods that took the lives of 370 people so far. Hundreds of such carcasses have been found floating in water in Alappuzha and Chalakudy, reported The News Minute . In the Divine Retreat Centre, bodies of 300 animals have been found.
As no government organisation or private body is ready to clear the bodies yet, the decomposing carcasses pose a threat to public health.