There will be no Onam': Keralites who lost everything stare at uncertainty

Support from government and banks a must for revival.

Kerala Floods : The main day of this year's Onam falls on Saturday. Though devastated by floods, Keralites will put on their happy faces to welcome King Mahabali, the mythical, righteous king who must have watched from netherworld the sufferings of his people and now 'comes to visit them'.

This festival falls on the tenth day from the day of Atham, during the Malayalam month of Chingam. On this occasion, people dress in the attire of Mahabali and take over the roads and shopping malls in Kerala. Celebrations abound.

One of the most popular sites during this time is Kuttanad, the rice bowl of Kerala and one of the major Ramsar sites (wetlands which have international importance). The snake boat races and greenery of Kuttanad are huge attractions for tourists who flock there. This time though, almost the entire Kuttanad is in relief camps, in Alappuzha and Changanessery, as the flood waters, which have taken over their agricultural lands, refuse to recede.

The roads in Kuttanad, which are usually flanked by paddy fields in various shades of green, are inundated by flood water. A few houses dot the deluge.

ALSO READ: Kerala floods LIVE: Rs 6 bn only advance aid, more to come, clarifies govt

The disaster during this monsoon, starting early June, has claimed over 370 lives and affected over one million people in 13 out of the 14 districts in Kerala.

Relief camps have popped up at several places.

"Almost 2,00,000 people have been rescued and there are 62 relief camps in Alappuzha alone," said D Lakshmanan, Pallathuruthy Ward Councelor. Lakshmanan is also leading the relief camp at Thiruvambadi School where around 450 families are taking shelter. Most of them were rescued by police, fire force, fishermen, and volunteers, while the others, from the interiors, were airlifted.

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Kerala Floods Live Updates: PM Modi take aerial survey, death toll rises to 324

Commercial flight operations from Naval airport at Kochi commenced today with the first Air India flight from Bengaluru arriving this morning.

Kerala floods: The situation in the flood-ravaged state was gradually improving, even as some rainfall was forecast for the coastal state from Monday onwards. According to the Indian Meteorological Department, “heavy rainfall” is expected only in Kozhikode, Kannur and Idduki districts over the next four days. However, even as water recedes from major areas, authorities are gearing up to deal with the possible outbreak of water-borne and air-borne diseases.

Commercial flight operations from the Naval airport at Kochi commenced today with the first Air India flight from Bengaluru arriving this morning. It is after 18 years that civilian flights are landing and taking off from the naval airport.

The Indian Railways said that two special trains will be run on Monday from Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam to Kolkata and that the train services are expected to be restored on all lines in Kerala by Monday evening. The Railways would also provide blankets and bedsheets to the affected people in Kerala.

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.

K J Alphons on Kerala floods: There'll be no electricity in homes. Carpentry, plumbing would be gone. We need hundreds of thousands of electricians, plumbers, carpenatrs to rush to Kerala. We don't need clothes/food. People with technical capabilities are required to put life back into Kerala.

Indian Navy steps up rescue, relief efforts in flood-hit Kerala

On the night of August 19, Indian Naval Ship (INS) Mysore carried about 70 tonnes of relief material which includes bottled water, ready to eat meals, fresh ration, milk, biscuits and other miscellaneous things like medicines, essential toiletries, phenyl, gash bags, bleaching powder, and candles. The relief material also included items received from some NGOs situated in Mumbai.

Also Read : Indian NGO raises over $10,000 for flood relief operations in Kerala

Sewa International, an Indian non-profit organisation in America, has raised over $10,000 for the flood relief operations in the deluge-hit Kerala

Over 5,000 Sewa volunteers have fanned out distributing food packets and cooking kits, and are opening free kitchens and medical camps to help the flood affected.

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Kerala floods: PM Modi to visit state today evening, review situation

The Centre has launched massive rescue and relief operations in the state owing to the flood situation which is worsening by the day.

Kerala Flood : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Friday evening head to Kerala to review the flood situation in the state.

"Had a telephone conversation with Kerala CM Shri Pinarayi Vijayan just now. We discussed the flood situation across the state and reviewed rescue operations. Later this evening (Friday), I will be heading to Kerala to take stock of the unfortunate situation due to flooding," Prime Minister Modi tweeted.

On Thursday morning, Prime Minister Modi spoke to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to discuss flood situation in the state. He had also asked the Defence Ministry to step up the rescue and relief operations across the state.

Meanwhile, a red alert was sounded in 13 districts of Kerala, except Kasaragod on Friday. A read has been sounded for Ernakulam and Idukki districts for tomorrow as well.

The Indian Coast Guard's rescue and relief team from Vandiperiyar has been shifted to the flood-affected Manjumala village in Kerala's Idukki district.

So far, the team has rescued 16 stranded people from the village. Food and dry ration have been distributed among them.

Earlier on Friday morning, five units of NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) reached Thiruvananthapuram and were deployed for rescue operations. 35 teams are expected to reach there on Friday.

Kerala has been witnessing incessant rain since past few days, causing flooding and landslide in the state. So far, at least 94 people have lost their lives in the havoc.

ALSO READ: Kerala floods: Liquor excise hiked up to 3.5% to collect funds for relief

The Centre has launched massive rescue and relief operations in the state owing to the flood situation which is worsening by the day.

On Thursday, in view of the prevailing floods situation in Kerala, a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) was held to scale up assistance and ensured continued relief and rescue operations.

Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been tasked to mobilise additional manpower, boats, and helicopters to scale up the rescue and relief operations.

Earlier on Thursday, NDRF teams evacuated 926 persons to a safer place at Pathamithitta, Kozhikode, Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Alappuzha. Moreover, the Army also built a 35-feet long bridge and rescued around 100 people including children and senior citizens from Malampuzha's Valiyakadu village.

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In pics: Kerala battered by heavy rains, death toll reaches 26

At least 26 people have lost their lives so far across rain-battered Kerala due to flooding and landslides caused by the torrential downpour in the state.

Kerala Floods : Severe rainfall continued to wreak havoc in several parts of Kerala. There is a flood-like situation in several parts of the state. Unrelenting rains in Kerala have caused rising water levels and flooding across the state.

In a pre-empt action to tackle the situation, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deployed six flood rescue teams at Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Wayanad, Kozhikode, and Palakkad to carry out Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) work.

In Malappuram, locals witnessed a rare scene in which a road got washed away after flash flood.

As heavy rain continues to lash Kerala, two more shutters of Idukki dam were opened on Friday morning to accommodate the additional flow of water.The floodgates were opened to increase the water flow into the Periyar river to 125 cuses.

Taking note of the flood situation in Kerala, which claimed the lives of at least 22 people, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday offered all required assistance to state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday announced a relief fund worth Rs. 10 crores for flood-hit Kerala. The Chief Minister has also directed his Chief Secretary T.M. Vijayabhaskar to send relief materials and a team of doctors to the state.

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