Kerala floods LIVE updates: With 10 lakh in camps, fear of epidemic looms


Kerala floods LIVE updates: With 10 lakh in camps, fear of epidemic looms
August 20, 2018
Kerala floods LIVE updates: The rainfall intensity over Kerala has decreased over the past two days bringing some respite to the flood-hit state. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that there is no alert of heavy precipitation for the next four days in the state. IMD has withdrawn the red alert from all 14 districts. The Met department has said that rainfall activity over Kerala is likely to decrease further gradually during the next five days starting Monday, except for some isolated pockets of heavy rainfall. Follow IndiaToday.in's blog for latest updates on Kerala floods.
Rescue operations being carried out at flood-affected regions, in Kochi on Saturday. (Photo: PTI)


Kerala floods calamity of severe nature: MHA
The Ministry of Home Affairs said the Government has declared Kerala floods a calamity of 'severe nature'.
Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja said that she has discussed the health and sanitary situation with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on priority. "We have all the resources required to help the people and we also urge them to come forward if there is any issue related to the same," she said.
Congress Working Committee member AK Antony today demanded that the Centre immediately declare the Kerala floods as a national disaster. "When floods hit Jammu and Kashmir, the Centre said it was almost like a national disaster and Rs 1,000 crore was sanctioned. But when Kerala is facing the worst-ever natural calamity, just Rs 600 crore has been sanctioned, which is nothing in view of the huge damage caused in the state," he said.
Bengal migrant worker appeals to Mamata for help
"The condition here in Kerala is becoming worse. Getting relief aids, potable water and everything else has become a problem. I request the Chief Minister to make immediate arrangements to rescue the Bengalis as we are left with nothing," the worker appealed in a video call made to his family.
Doctors from Maharashtra flown in to help flood victims
A team of around 100 doctors and paramedical staff from Maharashtra left for Kerala today to help the flood-affected people. The medical team comprises 55 doctors from Mumbai-based J J Hospital, including its Dean Dr Mukund Tayde, 26 doctors from the Sassoon hospital in Pune, 14 paramedics and some members of the minister's staff, news agency PTI reported.
The Assam government has announced a financial aid of Rs 3 crore to Kerala. "Seeing the deluge and the sufferings of the people of Kerala, the soreness of the people of Majuli, the largest river island, comes to my mind and I pledge to share the sufferings of my brother and sisters in Kerala as I do with the brothers and sisters back home in Assam," Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said.
State of transportation
Waters at the Cochin International Airport receded today. The airport was shut since August 15, after water entered the operational area. Authorities have started the cleaning up process. Small aircrafts also started to operate today from the Cochin Naval Airbase.
A man walks inside the flooded Cochin international airport. Picture from August 15, 2018. Photo: Reuters
The railways started its operations in the Kottayam sector and also to other sectors to Shornur.
The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation also began operations from many depots and it was expected to be fully functional in another day or two.
Kerala faces huge clean up operation, fear of disease
Health authorities prepared defences against the spread of disease in the state as water receded and a huge cleaning up operation gathered pace today.
The biggest challenges immediately ahead are cleaning of the flood-hit houses, rehabilitation, and prevention of water-borne diseases, said Mahesh P, a village-level officer from Rayamangalam told Reuters.
Anil Vasudevan, who handles disaster management at Keralas health department, said the state was preparing to battle any outbreak of diseases in the relief camps and preventive medicines were being distributed.
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu calls review meeting
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu called a review meeting today to take stock of the Kerala floods with Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh, and decided to donate a month's salary for relief measures.
This flood is being considered as the worst flood in Kerala's history in 140 years, claiming at least 357 lives

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is sending flood relief material for people of Kerala.

Watch video: Navy rescues wheelchair-bound pregnant woman in Aluva
The Indian Navy has pulled off yet another daring rescue in flood-ravaged Kerala, where lakhs are in relief camps following days of relentless rain. Today, the Navy tweeted a video where its personnel pulled off a challenging rescue of a pregnant woman who is paralysed from the waist down. The woman was airlifted to a helicopter by a rescue worker harnessed to a safety rope. Read the story here


Nation proud of our security forces: Ramdev
Yoga guru Ramdev today said that he his organisation has sent relief material worth Rs 50 lakh to flood affected areas of Kerala and Karnataka. "We will be sending material worth Rs 1.5 crore more," he said.


Kerala floods may have caused damage of Rs 20,000 crore: Assocham
Kerala floods could cause damage of upto Rs 20,000 crore, said industry chamber Assocham.
In the states Rs 8 lakh crore gross domestic product, tourism and agriculture, mostly rice, pepper, cardamom, cashew, tea, coffee, coconut, contribute about 10 per cent each. Then, the internal and external trade contribute a lot. The external trade not only comprises exports of cash crops and other industrial goods and services from Kerala, but also commercial activities from ports like Kochi and three international ports from the state. At this point of time, all these components of the state GDP are in a state of total chaos and destruction, it said.

ATM services resume in Idukki district


Ensure migrants workers are not left behind, says CM Vijayan


Regional CRPF Wifes Welfare Association in Tamil Nadu sends relief material in 12 trucks to Kerala


Over 250 per cent more rain than normal
Kerala is one of the wettest states in India, receiving large amounts of rainfall on average.
However, even compared to usually high rainfall, Kerala has seen over 250 per cent more rain than normal, according to Reuters.
(Provided by Reuters)

Need skilled people: KJ Alphons

States pitch in to help flood-hit Kerala
Several states have come forward to help the people of Kerala. Here are the details:

Kerala rooftop screams thank you to pilot who rescued pregnant woman
In a heartwarming tale, 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 August 17.
The Indian Navy pilot also the led the team that rescued a pregnant woman from a flooded area near the Kochi airport. The woman was flown to the Navy's Sanjivani Hospital where she gave birth to a son. Click to read more
(Photo: Twitter/ANI)

Around 10 lakh people in relief camps


Thousands still stranded
A woman cries as she holds her son after they were evacuated from a flooded area in Aluva in Kerala. (Photo: Reuters)

Indian Navy steps up rescue, relief efforts in flood-hit Kerala
On the night of August 19, the Western Naval Command on Sunday sailed Indian Naval Ship (INS) Mysore with relief material to provide assistance to the flood-hit state. The ship also carried one Chetak helicopter for augmenting air effort of the Southern Naval Command.

A 'thanks' note
A 'thanks' note painted on the roof of a house in Kochi from where the Naval ALH piloted by Cdr Vijay Varma had rescued two women on August 17.


First aircraft of Indigo also lands at Kochi naval air station


Ground report from Kochi


Kerala SOS: India Today Group reaches out to flood victims
In the face of a massive national calamity, India Today Group reaches out to Kerala victims as they are reeling from the devastating impact of the century's worst deluge.
The Care Today foundation, an India Today Group initiative, is devoted to the cause and has donated Rs 10 lakh to the #KeralaSOS relief fund.
Donate Now by cheque or DD in the name of Care Today A/C Kerala SOS and send it to Care Today, India Today Mediaplex, FC-8, Sector 16-A, Noida- 201301. Click here for more info

Kerala battles worst flood in 100 years
(Provided by Reuters)
Other airlines to start services to Kochi
Other airlines too may start flying to Kochi, aviation minister Suresh Prabhu has tweeted. Air India, which landed in Kochi today, is also mulling connecting the city to destinations such as Coimbatore and Madurai, Prabhu said. "Other airlines are likely to join this effort too. All possible steps are being taken."
Over 7.24 lakh people displaced
The number of those displaced in the torrential rain in Kerala was put at 7.24 lakh by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He also said most of the affected had been rescued and the government's focus would now be their rehabilitation.
This is the first time in years that the airstrip at the INS Garuda naval airbase has been opened for civilian use. The airstrip was offered for civilian use after flooding at the Cochin International Airport forced a operations there to shut down. Read more here.

Explained: IMD's color code warning system
The IMD has four colour codes to signify the intensity of weather. Red means authorities need to take action and one could expect extreme weather conditions, amber means government agencies need to be prepared to handle exigencies.
Yellow colour code means the situation needs to be watched while green signals the weather would be normal.
There is no red or amber colour code warning for any district of Kerala now. For today, the colour warning is green.

Rainfall intensity over Kerala decreasing: IMD
India Meteorological Department's Additional Director General Mritunjay Mohapatra told PTI that Kerala recorded 9 cm of rainfall yesterday.
On August 16 and 17, the state recorded 19 cm and 11 cm of rainfall respectively, he said. The IMD said it is expecting "heavy rainfall" only in Kozhikode, Kannur and Idduki districts.

Flight schedule for today
(Photo: India Today/Manjeet Negi)

Relief, rescue operations scaled up
Local authorities and armed forces have scaled up the relief and rescue operations. Tons of relief material is being transported to Kerala and distributed across the state. The Indian Navy has dispatched INS Mysore with relief material to Kochi. Besides this, INS Deepak has already reached Kerala with relief material.
(Photo: PTI)

Kerala government to honour fishing workers for rescue operations
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced that the Kerala government will honour fishing workers who were part of the rescue mission in the flood-ravaged state. All boats will be granted Rs 3,000 for each day of their work. The state government will also bear the repairing costs of boats damaged during the mission.

Situation improving, Kerala government tells crisis management committee
The Kerala government yesterday informed the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) that the situation in the flood-ravaged state was gradually improving, reports news agency IANS. The NCMC, which commenced its meetings on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's directions, will meet again on today.

Impostor wearing Army uniform spreads fake news about rescue efforts
It has been found that an impostor wearing Army combat uniform in a video has been spreading disinformation about rescue and relief efforts.
Additional Directorate General of Public Information, IHQ of MoD (Army), tweeted regarding the same and said that effort by all and the Indian Army is aimed at overcoming the tragedy in Kerala where hundreds of people have died.
The ADGPI asked citizens to follow all disinformation about the Indian Army through WhatsApp. "We are at it," the tweet read. Read full story here

To help passenger movement, the Indian Navy has allowed commercial flights to operate out of its base in Kochi from today. The service has been extended only to small passenger aircraft as of now. This will come as a breather for the people as the Kochi airport has been shut down till August 26.

Commercial operations resume at Kochi naval base
First commercial flight landed at INS Garuda Kochi Naval Air Station today as the airport resumed commercial operations.


Thousands still stranded
Thousands are still stranded across the state. They have no drinking water and food. Authorities have launched a massive operation to distribute relief material, including airdropping food packets. The Indian Navy has dispatched INS Mysore and loaded it with relief material for Kerala.

Rain lets up
The rainfall intensity over Kerala has decreased over the past two days, the meteorology department said. There is no alert of heavy precipitation for the next four days in the state.

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