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PremiumOTHERS :Heavy rainfall worsened the Kerala flood situation today, leading to the collapse of the public transport system in many parts of the state. The Southern Railways and Kochi Metro have suspended operations, even as the Kochi airport remained shut. The total death toll in Kerala floods now stands at 114 with lakhs of people still marooned. All educational institutions are closed.The Kerala government has sounded a red alert in 14 districts of the state and opened 35 dams in the state. The Mullaperiyar Dam, bordering Tamil Nadu, is overflowing but the neighbouring state has agreed to draw water from the reservoir.Here are the highlights on how the Kerala flood situation panned out on Thursday:
Google has launched person finder to help locate missing people in Kerala flood. The US search giant announced its initiative in a Twitter post.
Our thoughts are with those in Kerala. Help track missing people with #personfinder: https://t.co/8EECLFpCqv #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/mo9VM3Uph4
— Google India (@GoogleIndia) August 16, 2018
The death toll in the Kerala floods has risen to 114, news agency IANS has said. “Twenty-three more helicopters will join rescue operations tomorrow. 200 more boats will also be part of it. Those who are stranded will be relocated to safer zones from tomorrow morning,” Kerala CMO tweeted.
Telecom operators have announced free call and data services, extension in bill payment dates and other relief measures for seven days for customers in flood-hit state of Kerala.While Reliance Jio and state-run BSNL have offered free calls to all customers, established operators Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular are offering calling against limited credit for prepaid customers for seven days and extended bill payment dates for postpaid customers.All the five telecom operators are offering free data service to customers. However, private established operators have capped free data to 1 GB for seven days. PTI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit flood-hit Kerala on Friday, as per a press statement by Kerala BJP unit. He will reach by evening in Kochi, where he will have a discussion with Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan and will conduct an aerial survey of flood-hit areas on Saturday, said the statement. Nidheesh M.K./Mint
“We want to rescue all stranded people by tomorrow, 12 additional helicopters and 450 more boats will be operational. About 2500 people were rescued from Ernakulam region and 580 in Pathanamthitta today. About 1.5 lakh people are in relief camps. The situation is under control,” said CM Pinarayi Vijayan during his press briefing on Kerala floods today.“Kerala really has to be rebuilt,” he added. Nidheesh M.K./Mint
“Evacuation a big challenge,” said CM Pinarayi Vijayan during his press briefing on Kerala floods today. He said local bodies have been asked to help people in relief camps. The state government will later foot their bills. Three choppers each pressed into service for each of the affected districts, says CM Pinarayi Vijayan. A total of 23 helicopters and 500 boats have been deployed. HT
The death toll from floods in Kerala has jumped to 106, officials said today, with nearly 150,000 people left homeless by rising waters across the southern state.“The official toll now is 106 dead. A total of 1,331 camps have been opened across the state, in which 147,000 people have moved in by this evening,” a Kerala state disaster management official told AFP. AFP
In a circular issued by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), it also called up on its members to contribute “generously” towards SCBA Calamity Relief Fund that has been set up for this purpose. It further said a corpus of about Rs 30 lakh lying in the account shall be transferred for Kerala flood relief operations. PTI
Airlines have waived off rescheduling and cancellation charges on tickets to flood affected Kerala after flight safety watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) highlighted the hardships faced by passengers.
Latest updates on Kerala floods showed that Ernakulam is now under water. Water level of the Periyar river has surged dangerously. CM Pinarayi Vijayan will again meet the press at 8.45 pm.
NDRF teams have evacuated a total of 707 persons from Pathanamthitta (172), Ernakulam (151), Kozhikode (99), Alapuzha (202) and Thrissur (83) till the last report came, a spokesperson said. “Evacuation operation is still in progress at these locations,” he said.The 18 operational teams are deployed in the districts of Thrissur and Pathanamthitta (3 teams each), Ernakulum, Alappuzha, Wayanad and Kozhikode (2 teams each) and Idukki (4 teams).One NDRF team has about 35 personnel. HT
Death toll in the Kerala floods has risen to 102. All schools and colleges ordered to be closed till 29 August. HT
The Centre decided to send 35 more NDRF teams comprising nearly 1,000 personnel to shore up relief and rescue operations. After the meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee early in the day, the government initially directed sending 12 fresh teams of the federal disaster contingency force to the state and later decided to airlift 23 more teams in order to scale up the operations.“The first 12 teams will reach Kerala by this evening. The rest 23 teams are being sent gradually. The teams have been equipped for assisting the state government authorities in launching quick relief, rescue, medical aid and food distribution tasks in both day time and at night,” NDRF Director General Sanjay Kumar told PTI.
Airtel has announced that all local and STD calls between Airtel numbers in flood-hit Kerala will be free until 19 August, plus prepaid customers will get free 1 GB internet valid for seven days.Airel has also provided auto approval of ₹ 30 talk time credit to prepaid customers, and 30 Airtel stores in five districts will provide arrangements to make free calls and charge their phone. Nidheesh M.K./Mint
The Coast Guard has rescued 60 stranded people, including women and children, from Puthenvelikkara and Thonal Palam in Ernakulam district and moved them to safety at Kadavu station.Hundred people, including senior citizens from an old age home,have been rescued from Companypady in Aluva and shifted to shelters at safer places.
Thiruvananthapuram to Shornur train services reportedly suspended until 4pm Friday, due to Kerala floods. Nidheesh M.K./Mint
Kochi airport, among India’s busiest handling 1,460 flights every week, has been closed till 2pm on 26 August. Earlier it was shut till 2pm, 19 August. Operations have been suspended due to very high flood situation and key essential facilities like runway, taxiway, apron. navigation aids are submerged. Nidheesh M.K./Mint
Kochi Metro resumed its operations at 4 pm. “All of Kochi Metro’s resources will be used to assist rescue missions and hence the services will be free of charge for the day,” it tweeted.
Konkan Railway on Thursday cancelled five trains from Kerala, a spokesperson said. The cancelled trains are train no. 12202 KCVL-LTT Garib Rath, train no.16346 TVC-LTT Netravati Express, train no.12617 ERS-LTT Mangala Express, train no. 19424 TEN-GIMB Humsafar Express and train no. 22114 KCVL-LTT Express for 16 August.
Tamil Nadu CM Palaniswami alleges that his state officials were not being permitted to gauge the rainfall in the catchment area of Mullaperiyar dam in Kerala and urged the neighbouring state to share rainfall data on a real-time basis.In his letter to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, Palaniswami said that the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department is managing and regulating water releases from the Mullaperiyar dam as per the inflow rate. He assured Vijayan that the dam is safe—hydrologically, seismically and structurally.
In a significant move, Kerala hiked the liquor tax to raise ₹ 230 crore for the flood relief fund. Kerala finance minister Thomas Issac announced the move on Twitter.“Yes. There is financial resource crunch. We shall overcome. As additional resource mobilisation to Chief Ministers Disaster Relief Management Fund, excise duty on liquor increased by 0.5 to 3.5% for a period of 100 days. ₹ 230 crore expected as additional revenue,” Isaac tweeted.
Reports said hundreds of people are perched on the roofs of their houses in Pathanamthitta district, where attempts to airlift the marooned families have failed.CPM legislator from Chengannur Saji Cherian said: “Hundreds of people are eagerly waiting to be evacuated and the only way out is airlifting. Unless things move fast, this could turn out to be very serious.” TV channels in the state are showing live pictures of people crying for help. HT
The Supreme Court has directed the disaster management sub-committee of Mullaperiyar Dam to consider reducing water level up to 139 feet from the present 142 feet, considering the “grave” flood situation in all the 14 districts of Kerala.A bench of chief justice Dipak Misra and justice Indu Malhotra said, “An effort has to be made to bring down the water level of the Mullaperiyar dam to 139 ft so that the people living downstream should not live in constant fear.”However, Tamil Nadu government opposed the plea, saying that the inflow of water presently is over 12,000 cusec in contrast to the outflow of 5,000 cusec. PTI
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy to very heavy rain at a few places in Kerala with very heavy rain at isolated places very likely over coastal Karnataka and Kerala. Rough to very rough sea conditions are likely to prevail over Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala coasts. PTI
The Indian Navy has commenced airlift operations on Trichur, Aluva and Muvattupuzha areas. Thirty-six people have been rescued and sheltered at the Kochi naval base. Food and water also being planned to be dropped.
#OpMadad #KeralaFloodRelief #keralafloods #IndianNavy commences airlift operation on Trichur ,Aluva , and Muvattupuzha area to rescue stranded persons.36 rescued & being sheltered here in naval base. Additionally food and water also being planned to be dropped.@DefenceMinIndia pic.twitter.com/KLldUEHkKz
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) August 16, 2018
The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), India’s apex body to handle emergency situations, today decided to scale up relief and rescue operations in flood-hit Kerala by involving the defence services and other agencies, besides providing essential commodities to those marooned in the 14 worst-affected districts.Chaired by cabinet secretary P.K. Sinha and attended by defence chiefs, secretaries of home, defence and others, the NCMC took stock of the prevailing situation in Kerala and directed all concerned to ensure continued assistance to the state government to meet the crisis, a home ministry spokesperson said.The meeting was held following a directive of the prime minister. PTI
The Supreme Court today directed Tamil Nadu and Kerala to implement decisions of the Mullaperiyar Dam sub-committee and fixed the matter for further hearing tomorrow. The sub-committee on Mullaperiyar Dam would consult chief secretaries of Kerala and Tamil Nadu to bring down water level there. PTI
The Odisha government today announced a financial assistance of ₹ 5 crore for flood-hit Kerala, where the death toll is said to have crossed 100. Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik talked to his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan over telephone, following which the financial aid was announced, the CMO said. Patnaik also offered any other kind of support required to tackle the calamity, as Odisha has expertise in dealing with disasters like flood and cyclone, it said.The situation in the state was “extremely grave”, said Vijayan, who spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Rajnath Singh this morning, seeking more central assistance for relief operations.Heavy rains continue to batter most parts of Kerala, especially Pathanamthitta, Ernakukam and Alappuzha districts, where several people, including children and elderly, are trapped in their houses. PTI
As many as 132 people have been rescued from Thrissur, Aluva and Perumbavoor by Coast Guard helicopters today.
#WATCH: Rescue operations held by Coast Guard helicopters over Ernakulam, earlier today. 132 people have been rescued from Thrissur, Aluva & Perumbavoor by Coast Guard helicopters today. #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/JqJ0dsbSPs
— ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2018
An elderly woman is rescued in a cooking utensil after her home was flooded in Thrissur, Kerala, today. Torrential monsoon rains have disrupted air and train services in Kerala, where flooding, landslides and bridge collapses have killed dozens of people in the past week, officials said.
Forty-five people stranded due to incessant rains were rescued from Machilipatnam by three teams of the Indian Navy deployed at Perumbavoor. ANI
Indian fire and rescue personnel evacuate local residents in an boat flooded following monsoon rains at Aluva, Kerala, on Thursday. The death toll from Kerala floods increased to 77 on 16 August, as torrential rainfall threatened new areas, officials told AFP.
Kerala opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala sent a letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to visit flood-hit area of the state.
Supreme Court today asked the high power committee to convene a meeting by tomorrow morning in connection with the rising water level in Mullaperiyar Dam in Kerala.
Sanjay Kumar, director general of the National Disaster Response Force said the NDRF will deploy more teams to mitigate the Kerala flood crisis, if required. “We have deployed teams in seven districts. 14 teams are already there and today we are sending another 12 teams and if required more teams will be sent,” said Kumar.“We are working for rescue, evacuation and relief in coordination with the state authorities,” he added. ANI
The death toll in the Kerala floods has crossed 100, said people familiar with the developments on the ground. Though an official number is yet to come, 29 people have been reported dead in the state today. Authorities are said to be underplaying the death toll to avoid panic. HT
Citing the rain havoc, which has wreaked havoc in neighbouring Kerala, Tamil Nadu’ Coimbatore district administration has urged tourists to not visit Azhiyar, Vaalpaarai and Aanamalai for next three days. HT
The National Crisis Management Committee has convened a meeting to review Kerala floods. The chiefs of the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force, and home and defence secretaries are in attendance. PTI
The flood-affected people who are being airlifted are being housed at Aircraft Hangar, INS Garuda in Kochi.
#OpMadad #KeralaFloodRelief #KeralaFloods2018 Relief camp setup at Aircraft Hanger, INS Garuda, Kochi and flood affected people who are being airlifted are being housed here @DefenceMinIndia @SpokespersonMoD @nsitharaman @DG_PIB pic.twitter.com/XNG6hFHg6E
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) August 16, 2018
The Supreme Court today termed as grave the flood situation in Kerala and asked the states and Centre not to treat the issue as “adversarial. The apex court will also hear today itself a plea seeking Centre’s intervention to mediate between Kerala and Tamil Nadu on issue of rising water in the Mullaperiyar Dam.
The Communist party of India (Marxist), or CPM, has appealed to people of India today to contribute generously to aid the rescue and relief operations in Kerala which has been hit by unprecedented floods. People can make their contribution here.“Given this unprecedented situation that the people of Kerala are confronted with, the politburo of CPM fervently appeals to people of the entire country to contribute generously to aid the rescue and relief operations. “Given the urgency, party members, sympathisers and the general public are requested to rush their individual contributions either through drafts/cheques drawn in favour of the party or send it directly to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund,” the CPI(M) said in a statement.The death toll in the current phase of monsoon fury in the southern state has touched 72, while rains and flood water caused extensive damage in the state. PTI
Landslides occurred in Kodagu, Karnataka after heavy rains in the area today. One person injured in the landslide has been admitted to a hospital for treatment. Mangaluru deputy commissioner Sasikanth Senthil has ordered to stop vehicles on NH-48 (75) due to heavy rains and landslide at Shiradi Ghat. ANI
The Indian Navy has started “Operation Madad” (help) for Kerala floods relief. It has tweeted out an update on where its teams are in Kerala as of 2pm today.
#OpMadad #KeralaFloodRelief #keralafloods Deployment of #IndianNavy relief teams in Kerala as of 1400h/ 16 Aug. @DefenceMinIndia @SpokespersonMoD @nsitharaman @PMOIndia @CMOKerala @ndmaindia @DG_PIB pic.twitter.com/qKjrs72GVx
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) August 16, 2018
New Delhi: The Centre today launched a massive relief and rescue operations in flood-hit Kerala, involving the three defence forces and other agencies, even as cabinet secretary P.K. Sinha chaired a high-level meeting following a directive from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Besides the Army, Navy and the Indian Air Force, the Coast Guard and the National Disaster Response Force have mobilized additional manpower, boats and helicopters to scale up the rescue and relief operations, a home ministry spokesperson said here.Food packets and drinking water are being rushed to Kerala for distribution among the people in 14 worst affected districts, while additional NDRF teams are also being sent to the state to assist the local administration in operations. PTI
Five persons were killed in a landslide in Palakkad district of Kerala today. People in Palakkad district police said the five persons were killed in Nenmara while two were rescued, taking the official death toll to 72 in the current phase of monsoon fury.Reports of a landslide have also come in from Thrissur district and some people are said to be missing, the people said. Rise in flood waters in Periyar River due to the rains and opening of all shutters of all major dams including Mullaperiyar, Cheruthoni, part of Idukki reservoir, and Idamalayar, have severely affected lives of people in downstream areas. PTI
Twelve additional teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) comprising about 540 personnel rushed to flood-hit Kerala to help rescue and relief operations, officials said. PTI
Those stranded in Kerala floods are using social media platforms to seek help and pass on information about their location. Videos of people pleading for help with folded hands, are being posted and shared by hundreds of people on WhatsApp groups since last night. Panic-struck relatives are also sharing the location of their near and dear ones trapped in various places using Google Maps.Various regional news channels have also published their numbers through news bulletins for stranded people to contact them and share details of their location, to be passed on to authorities. PTI
Water levels inside the Kochi airport has been rising due to the Kerala floods, the DGCA said today.
Flood water has spread across Kochi in Kalamassery region. Roads damaged and water continues to flow inside the city.
Visuals from a relief centre set up in Kumily, Idukki, after flood waters entered villages in the area.
Idukki: Visuals from a relief centre set up in Kumily after flood water entered villages in the area #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/ywgJAstqwd
— ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2018
