Kerala Floods: CM appeals for additional help from Centre, says six more lives lost today
Altogether 100 tonnes of food materials like biscuits, rusks and drinking water are being airlifted to Kerala from Jalandhar and Patiala in Punjab.
With IMD's prediction of 'no rain' in next four days in Kerala, the flood-battered state is expected to experience some relief, while rescue operations will be further intensified.
The rainfall intensity over Kerala has decreased over the past two days, the meteorology department said on Sunday, adding that there is no alert of heavy precipitation for the next four days in the state. The IMD said it is expecting "heavy rainfall" only in Kozhikode, Kannur and Idduki districts.
With over 6.33 lakh people taking shelter in 3,000 relief camps, the government has directed the central ministries to focus on providing essential commodities and medicine and restoration of vital services in flood-hit Kerala.
The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) in its review meeting directed that focus should now be on provision of emergency supplies of food, water, medicines and restoration of essential services such as power, fuel, telecom and transport links as flood water recedes in Kerala, an official spokesperson said.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said a total of 6,33,010 people are staying in 2,971 relief camps in Kerala and around 38,000 flood affected people have also been rescued by different agencies so far.
Kerala has been battered by "exceptionally high seasonal rainfall" since August 1, leading to nearly half of the state submerged.
Kerala Floods Latest Updates:
Watch full coverage of the story on Rajat Sharma's Aaj ki Baat:
10:24 pm: 223 people lost their lives between August 8-20. Six people died today. Centre said they'll make all necessary requirements available to us but in today's situation what is most needed is the necessary help, equivalent to the total damages caused so far: Kerala CM
07:35 pm: Dept of Consumer Affairs has dispatched 100 million tonne (MT) of pulses today. Ministry of Health has airlifted 52 MT of emergency medicines. 20 MT of medicines to reach Kerala by tonight. 20MT of bleaching powder & 1 crore Chlorine tablets to be dispatched by tom: Central Govt
07:30 pm: In a letter dated, August 16, the Centre has declared the Kerala flood as severe calamity.
04:27 pm: 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 today. Floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains have claimed 210 lives in Kerala since August 8 and displaced over 7.14 lakh people from their homes.
"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 today.
04:22pm: CM has spoken to us and we've discussed the situation at hand, our priority right now is health and sanitation. We have all the resources required to help the people & we also urge them to come forward if they any issue related to the same: Kerala Health Min KK Shailaja
03:30 pm: Kerala Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan today thanked his Telangana counterpart K Chandrasekhar Rao for the gesturein contributing Rs 25 crore towards relief measures in the rain-ravaged state. "The overwhelming response from your state and others demonstrate the extent of compassion and care that we show to each other in the hour of crisis and calamity, which makes us all proud of being part of Indian ethos and spirit," Vijayan said in a letter to Rao. Telangana Home Minister N Narasimha Reddy handed over the cheque for Rs 25 crore to Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram yesterday.
03:08 pm: Chhattisgarh has sent 2,500 tonnes of rice for the people of flood-hit Kerala in a special train. The train, which departed from here yesterday, is likely to reach the southern state in the next three days covering a distance of 2,100 kms, officials said today. The move comes after Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh announced assistance of Rs 10 crore to Kerala.
02:45 pm: Relief material worth Rs 50 Lakh has been sent to flood affected areas of Kerala and Karnataka and we will be sending material worth Rs.1.5 crore more. Nation is proud of the rescue and relief operations conducted by our security forces in the flood affected areas: Yoga Guru Ramdev
2:40 pm: Sewa International, an Indian non-profit organisation in America, has raised over USD 10,000 for the flood relief operations in the deluge-hit Kerala.
2:00 pm: Around 70 teams are present there with boats, life vests & food packets. Places where light & helicopters cant reach my boys have reached: General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command, Lt Gen DR Soni on Kerala Floods
1:42 pm: A team of around 100 doctors and paramedical staff from Maharashtra left for Kerala today to help the flood-affected people. The doctors flew to Thiruvananthapuram in two aircraft of the Indian Air Force.
1:01 pm: The judges of the Supreme Court will contribute to the Kerala flood relief fund, says Chief Justice Dipak Misra.
12:37 pm: Till now, 3757 medical camps have been setup in Kerala. There is requirement of 90 different medicines and first installment has reached. Issued advisory for daily monitoring and surveillance. Quick response medical teams to start work as soon as water recedes: Union Minister JP Nadda
11:59 am:
11:50 am:
11:40 am: Nizamuddin- Ernakulam Mangala Lakshadweep Express, Mangalore-Nagercoil Parasuram Express, Jamnagar–Tirunelveli Express and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus -Thiruvananthapuram Netravathi Express from Shoranur junction to run as per normal schedule.
11:33 am: Indian Navy rescue team joined six ropes across a stream in Thrissur yesterday rescuing 109 people who were stranded on the other side after the bridge over it collapsed.
11:26 am: All MPs and MLAs of Shiv Sena to contribute their one month salary to Kerala Chief Minister's Relief Fund. #KeralaFloods
11:09 am:
11:08 am: Passengers are at INS Garuda Kochi Naval Air Station in Kochi as commercial flights service begins at the station due to flooding of Cochin International Airport.
10:49 am: There'll be no electricity in homes. Carpentry, plumbing would be gone. We need hundreds of thousands of electricians, plumbers, carpenters to rush to Kerala. We don't need clothes/food.Ppl with technical capabilities are required to put life back into Kerala: KJ Alphons
10:38 am: Today we have close to a million people in relief camps. District collectors are working as coordinators & providing supplies. Central forces are providing amazing service to Kerala. Biggest heroes are fishermen,they came in 600 boats and are rescuing people: Union Minister KJ Alphons
10:13 am: 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.
10:05 am: Indian Coast Guard continues relief and rescue operations across the state.
10:01 am: Temporary bridge being built by Rapid Action Force (RAF) in Palakkad's Erumachery to block flood water from entering paddy fields.
9:59 am: 55 doctors from Mumbai's JJ Hospital, 26 doctors from Pune's Sassoon hospital and paramedical staff leave for Thiruvananthapuram in two Air India aircraft.
9:05 am: First commercial flight to come in after CIAL got affected due to floods
9:00 am: Two Indian Navy ships sailed for Kerala with necessary relief material yesterday.
8:50 am: Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MPs to donate their one month salary to #Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund.
8:12 am: First commercial flight lands at INS Garuda Kochi Naval Air Station after Cochin International Airport got affected due to floods.
7:55 am: Here is a list of helpline numbers, location of rescue camps.
7:39 am: An old woman being airlifted by Indian Air Force (IAF) from Ernakulam. She was later taken to Navy Hospital.
7:22 am: Rescue Operations carried out by Odisha fire service personnel in Kerala's Kottayam.
7:12 am: Relief materials being dropped by Indian Air Force (IAF) in various locations of Ernakulam and Thrissur districts.
7:00 am: People belonging to Sikh community in Kochi prepared food and provided it to relief camps.
6:58 am: After the UAE, Qatar has come out in support of flood-hit Kerala by announcing a financial aid of Rs 34.89 crore to help provide shelter to those who lost their homes as a result of the humanitarian crisis.
ALSO READ: Man floating in neck-deep water films himself to ask for help
6:41 am: Pope Francis calls on the international community to provide "concrete support" to the victims in flood-battered Kerala.
6:33 am: Union Health Minister J P Nadda says his ministry is extending all support to the relief measures in flood-battered Kerala, where 3,757 medical relief camps have been set up.
6:29 am: NDMA says more than 33,000 people have been rescued by different agencies from the flood affected areas of the state. Over 6.33 lakh people are currently staying in relief camps.
6:11 am: The Centre says airfares for domestic direct flights to and from Kerala ranged from Rs 3,395 to Rs 6,999 on shorter routes and Rs 6,017 to Rs 10,000 on longer ones, amidst allegations that passengers were being charged exorbitantly in the state which is facing one of the worst floods in a century.
6:07 am: A number of NGOs based in the financial capital of the country, Mumbai, have come forward to extend the helping hand to flood-ravaged Kerala and launched a campaign to collect food and other items.
6:00 am: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said his state would give Rs 3 crore aid to rain-ravaged Kerala.
ALSO READ: Tales of bravery and kindness bring smiles to stranded in rain, deluge
In the worst ever torrential rains in Kerala in this monsoon season, 370 lives have been lost and 724,649 persons evacuated to 5,645 camps so far. Idukki has reported the maximum number of deaths, with 43 people losing their lives since August 8, according to official estimates. Many people are stranded in their homes and other shelters in Alapuzha, Thrissur and Ernakulam districts.The Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and NDRF personnel are carrying out rescue operations. Hundreds of fishermen have also been engaged in the operations.
Kerala Agriculture Minister V S Sunil Kumar said more than two lakh people are in relief camps in Thrissur district. The Kochi international airport has been closed till August 26 following flooding of the runway and other airport areas.
Mohapatra said, "There is no red or amber colour code warning for any district today. For tomorrow (Monday), the colour warning is green."
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 situation needs to be watched while green signals the weather would be normal.
The IMD said rainfall recorded by the state was 2,346.6 cm, against the normal precipitation of 1,649.5 cm.
Idukki district has recorded 92 per cent above normal rainfall while Palakkad recorded 72 per cent more rain than normal.
The Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation has dispatched necessary medicines to the affected areas, which is in addition to more than 150 truck loads of relief materials from the civil society and NGOs.
Altogether 100 tonnes of food materials like biscuits, rusks and drinking water are being airlifted to Kerala from Jalandhar and Patiala in Punjab.
Exclusive: Ground Report on Kerala Floods
WATCH VIDEO: Stranded pregnant woman rescued by Indian Navy heroes, delivers baby boy