Kerala continues to face flood fury, death toll 324; PM Modi tours affected areas

Kerala is witnessing the worst flood situation in 100 years. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan urged people to donate funds for relief.

The death toll in Kerala, which is witnessing the worst flood situation in almost a century, touched 324 on Friday, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.  The rains claimed 106 lives on Thursday,  August 16, alone. Over 1500 relief camps have been set up across the state. 

Over 80,000 persons, stranded in flood-hit districts, were rescued earlier in the day, of whom 71,000 were from one of the worst affected Aluva regions of Ernakulam district.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached the state on Friday evening to take stock of the flood situation. He was received by CM Vijayan, Kerala Governor P Sathasivam and Union Tourism Minister KJ Alphons at Thiruvananthapuram. Earlier in the day, PM Modi and Arvind Kejriwal had a telephonic conversation with CM Vijayan.  

Vijayan had posted on Twitter about the death toll in the state and undergoing rescue operations. He further urged people to come forward for donation in the relief funds. 

Kerala is facing its worst flood in 100 years. 80 dams opened, 324 lives lost and 223139 people are in about 1500+ relief camps. Your help can rebuild the lives of the affected. Donate to https://t.co/FjYFEdOsyl #StandWithKerala. — CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) August 17, 2018

Many states have extended support for the donations. Delhi government announced that it will donate Rs. 10 crores for the relief fund for the flood-affected state. N Chandrababu Naidu-led Andhra Pradesh government also announced an assistance of Rs 10 crores for Kerala. Other states which came forward for assistance includes Punjab and Telangana, which announced a donation of Rs 10 crores and Rs 25 crores respectively. 

CM Vijayan also posted details of the bank account where the donations can be made. Click here to check the details..  

The Defence Ministry has been pumping relief material for rescue operations across Kerala. The ministry provided 1300 life jackets, 571 lifebuoys, 1000 raincoats, 1300 gumboots, 1200 ready-to-eat meal, 1500 food packets, 25 motorised boats and 9 non-motorised boats. 

Thousands are stranded in Chengannur, Alappuzha. Local MLA Saji Cherian reportedly said to a regional channel that if helicopters are not sent for rescue operations by the end of the night, many people will likely die in the region

Personnel of the three services, besides the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) resumed the gigantic task of evacuating people stranded on rooftops, highlands where hills came crashing down blocking roads and cutting them off from the rest of the world, and those marooned in villages that have turned into islands. The Indian Army deployed 10 flood relief columns and 10 Engineer Task Forces for rescue mission in several flood-hit districts.

The Cochin international airport, the seventh busiest in the country, has been shut from August 14 following the heavy downpour. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) asked domestic airlines to operate additional flights to Kerala and cap fares. 

Out of 71 arrivals and 74 departures of scheduled domestic airlines to/from Cochin, 23 flights arriving and 24 flights departing have been rescheduled. Domestic Airlines have been requested to cap maximum fare around Rs 10,000 on longer routes and around Rs 8000 on shorter routes to/from Kerala.

Odisha government has urged Kerala to rescue 130 stranded laborers from Odapally in Kerala. Odisha government also released helpline for the people trapped at various places in the state. 

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday asked party cadre in flood-hit Kerala to mobilise resources for helping the people of the state, while displaying the core Congress values of service and love.

"Across Kerala & now Kodagu in Karnataka, heavy rainfall has caused widespread devastation. This is the time for our workers & leaders to demonstrate the core Congress values of service & love. Please focus all our resources & people to help those in need (sic)," he tweeted.

Civil Aviation minister Suresh Prabhu said that all the authorities including Secretary civil aviation, DGCA, Airports Authority Of India have asked to address the concerns of passengers and offer all possible help to Kerala.

Secretary civil aviation , DGCA, Airports Authority Of India all concerned organisations have been asked to ensure that concerns of passengers are addressed, to work with state govt and offer all possible help.#KeralaFloodRescue #KeralaFloodRelief — Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) August 17, 2018

The deadliest deluge in close to a century has claimed 173 lives since August 8, and dealt a body blow to the scenic state, wrecking its tourism industry, destroying standing crops in thousands of hectares and inflicting huge damage to infrastructure.

Many persons, including women, children and the elderly trapped in places inaccessible by boats were winched up by defence helicopters and shifted to safety.

TV channels telecast disturbing visuals of a woman in labour being pulled up with the help of a rope dropped down from a Navy chopper, swinging violently in the air.

The woman, whose amniotic sac was ruptured, was shifted to a Navy hospital where she gave birth to a baby boy. Both the mother and the child are doing fine, officials said.

Desperate non-resident Keralites from Australia, the US and the UK were making fervent pleas to authorities through television channels seeking help for their dear ones.

Soumya from Australia said her parents and their relatives were stranded in Aluva for the past two days.

Another said an elderly relative Mary Varghese was badly in need of an oxygen cylinder and her condition was worsening.

In a WhatsApp video, a stranded woman with her six-year-old child was seen pleading for help.

The weatherman has forecast heavy rain and gusty winds in various parts of the state. Winds packing speed up to 60 kmph are likely in Pathanamthitta, Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad districts.  

(With Agency Inputs)