Thiruvananthapuram : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday assured about the situation being monitored and said that all the possible help will be extended to the Kerala. Several people have been injured and displaced while 21 have died as heavy rains pounded south and central Kerala causing flash floods and landslides in many parts of the state. Thirteen deaths were reported in Kottayam’s Koottickal and eight deaths were reported in Idukki.
Taking to Twitter, Amit Shah wrote, “We are continuously monitoring the situation in parts of Kerala in the wake of heavy rainfall and flooding. The central govt will provide all possible support to help people in need. NDRF teams have already been sent to assist the rescue operations. Praying for everyone’s safety.”
In one of the heavy rains in recent years, the high ranges of central and south Kerala are experiencing almost similar to that of the situation the state faced during the time of devastating floods of 2018 and 2019 but authorities said everything was under control and there was no need for any panic.
Heavy rain in parts of Kerala has triggered landslides in Idukki and Kottayam districts. The weather office has predicted heavy to very heavy rain till Sunday morning. 14 people were killed and many others were missing on Saturday as heavy rain lashed south and central Kerala causing flash floods and landslides.
Concerning the same, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also spoke about extending every possible help to the people and further requested the citizens to take all precautions. He further added that around 105 relief camps have been set up across the state and arrangements are underway to start more camps.
Furthermore, the Central Water Commission has informed about a rise in water levels in several dams including the Madamon, Kalluppara, Thumpaman, Pullakayar, Manikkal, Vellaikadavu, and Aruvipuram.
“The situation is really serious in some parts of the state. We will do everything possible to save lives. We have sought help from the army, navy and air force. Relief camps have been set up in the districts,” Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in a statement.
The Central forces teams including 11 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), two Army and two Defence Service Corps teams have been deployed in Southern and Central parts of the states. The India Meteorological Department had issued a red alert for Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki and Thrissur districts and an orange alert for Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alapuzha, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad districts of the southern state.
A Navy chopper with relief materials has already been airborne from INS Garuda in Kochi and headed towards rain-affected areas, PTI reported. Two Air Force Chopper Mi-17 arrived and were on standby at AF Station, Shangumugham, Thiruvananthapuram. Although the fury of rains have subsided, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authorities (KSDMA) said a trough of low at mean sea level now lies over Southeast adjoining East central Arabian Sea off north Kerala-Karnataka coasts and predicted possibility of light to moderate rainfall at many places with only isolated heavy rainfall over the state during next 24 hours and further decrease thereafter.
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