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.

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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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Kerala still at receiving end of rain fury, people shifted to relief camps

Over 13,800 people have been provided shelter at 124 relief camps in the district. Low lying areas are inundated.

Kerala Flood : Rains continued to wreak havoc in many parts of Kerala with northern hill district of Wayanad experiencing widespread landslides and flooding overnight, forcing thousands of people to take shelter at relief camps, officials said today.

Several people fled their homes yesterday due to landslides and land slips in the district part of Western Ghats. People living in the downstream have been shifted to relief camps.

Over 13,800 people have been provided shelter at 124 relief camps in the district. Low lying areas are inundated, officials said.

Shutters of Banasura Sagar Dam were raised further last night to release excess water.

Many parts of northern Kerala districts including Kannur, Kasargod, Kozhikode, Malappuram and Palakad also witnessed rains last night.

Two shutters of Cheruthoni Dam part of Idukki reservoir were closed last evening.

The water level in the dam is receding further, alleviating apprehensions of the affected people living downstream, particularly in Ernakulam district.

However, water level in Mullaperiyar Dam rose to 136 ft, prompting authorities to sound caution.

The catchment areas of the dam is receiving rains continuously.

Meanwhile, the Travancore Devaswom Board has asked the devotees to avoid their pilgrimage to Sabarimala in Pathanamthitta district to participate in the Niraputhari as water level in Pamba River was rising steadily.

Also Read : Kerala floods: 26 dead, army deployed after red alert in several districts

Rains had pounded several parts of Kerala yesterday, triggering landslips and compounding the woes of people already reeling under unprecedented floods and downpour which have claimed 39 lives in six days.

The Union Home Ministry's National Emergency Response Centre (NERC) in New Delhi had said that 187 people have lost their lives in Kerala to the monsoon fury, with 2,406 villages in 14 districts badly hit by rains and floods, and standing crop in over 26,400 hectares damaged.

Landslides were reported from various places in Malappuram, Kozhikode, Idukki and Wayanad districts.

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