PTI, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/KOCHI/NEW DELHI: Torrential rain and floods played havoc in Kerala, claiming 30 lives today, swamping homes, destroying roads, and disrupting air and rail traffic in many places, officials said.
Altogether 97 people have died in rain-related incidents since the second spell of monsoon fury got unleashed on August 8. The murderous weather has claimed 55 lives in the last two days alone.
Battling savage weather conditions, the Indian navy began airlifting marooned people in Trichur, Aluva and Muvattupuzha. Dramatic videos showed people stranded atop flooded homes and hills being winched up by Navy choppers.
Under instructions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Defence Ministry rushed in fresh teams of the three wings of military for relief and rescue operations in the state where over 1.5 lakh homeless and displaced people are taking shelter in relief camps. All but one of the state’s 14 districts are on high alert, sources said. Modi spoke to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan again this morning and assured him of all central help in tackling the situation.
“We discussed the flood situation in the state. Have asked Defence Ministry to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. Praying for the safety and well-being of the people of Kerala,” Modi tweeted. Twelve additional teams of of the National Disaster Response Force comprising about 540 personnel were also rushed to Kerala.
The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), the country’s apex body for handling emergency situations, met in New Delhi to take stock of the rapidly deteriorating situation caused by the worst floods the state has witnessed in close to a century.
