Kerala Flood: The water level in Periyar river and a canal near the airport has been rising.
The state of Kerala and its people are sort of having a deja vu moment. An entire cluster of homes of plantation workers at a tea estate in Wayanad was swept away by a landslide on Thursday evening. Several are trapped under the debris and 200 are injured, officials said. Hundred people have been rescued, while two bodies have been found. Officials said the rescue operation may take 12 hours.
Teams of the Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the fire department are at the site. 22 people have been killed, flight operations at Cochin International Airport in Kerala have been stopped till 3 pm on Sunday due to heavy rain, airport officials said today.
The water level in Periyar river and a canal near the airport has been rising. Flight operations were stopped till 9 am today, but it had to be extended after the apron area at the Kochi airport got flooded, Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) posted on its Facebook page.
A red alert has been issued for nine districts Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasargod in Kerala where rains have left some villages submerged and isolated from the rest of the state. Around 22,165 people have been evacuated to safety and are lodged in 315 camps across the state.
Schools and colleges are shut in all 14 districts of the southern state today, except state capital Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam. 42 lakh in Maharashtra, 45,000 in Karnataka, 8,000 in Kerala and 20,000 in Andhra Pradesh have been evacuated so far.
Here are the Highlights on Rain in Kerala, Maharashtra, Goa and Andhra Pradesh:
30 families feared missing after landslide in Malappuram district
As many as thirty families are feared missing after a landslide occurred at Kavalappara, Nilambur, in Malappuram district on Thursday evening. The rescue teams were able to reach the incident spot only by today afternoon.
Due to heavy rainfall in Kerala 19 trains have been cancelled
Karnataka Floods: Authorities evacuate 80,000 more in Karnataka
Authorities have evacuated 80,000 more people from flood-hit and rain-affected areas in Karnataka, where the rain fury in the last few days as left nine people dead, reported news agency PTI.
Joint rescue teams comprising personnel from Fire and Emergency Department, State Disaster Response Force, National Disaster Response Force and Army have evacuated 1,24,291 people so far, an official statement said Friday.
The cumulative figure for yesterday was 43,858.
Nine additional NDRF teams have been airlifted for rescue operations including five to Belagavi and two to Kodagu, the statement said.
Kerala Flood: Kochi airport closed till Sunday afternoon
The Kochi airport will be closed till Sunday afternoon as floodwaters have left the runway waterlogged, authorities said, reported news agency PTI.
On Thursday night, the Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) announced that flight operations would be suspended till 9 am on Friday as a precautionary measure in view of heavy rains lashing the region. Flights coming to the airport were diverted.
The situation continued to be grim on Friday.
"Kochi Airport closes operations till 1500 hrs of Sunday (11/08/2019)," a statement said on Friday, according to PTI.
A CIAL spokesperson said the runway area of the airport is waterlogged due to the flood.
Operations were suspended as water levels rose in the Periyar river and a canal adjacent to the airport due to heavy rain.
Kerala Floods: 83 Disaster Response Force teams dispatched to four states
As many as 83 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been dispatched to four flood-hit states of Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka and Gujarat for rescue and relief operations, the Home Ministry said on Friday, reported news agency PTI.
The current flood situation in different parts of the country and the preparedness of central ministries and agencies to deal with it was reviewed at a high-level meeting chaired by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai.
The Director General of the NDRF apprised the meeting that 83 NDRF teams have been positioned with all necessary equipment in vulnerable areas of the four flood-affected states, a home ministry statement said.
These teams are in addition to the 173 teams of Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard.
An NDRF team comprises around 45 personnel.
The Central government has assured to extend all assistance to Karnataka to deal with the situation arising out of severe floods and incessant rains in parts of the State, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said on Friday. "I am in constant touch with the Central government", Yeddyurappa told reporters at Mudhol in Bagalkot district, where he interacted with the flood-affected people and later undertook an aerial survey. He said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have been briefed on the rescue and relief efforts in Karnataka. "The Centre will extend all assistance... from financial point of view... they have also assured to help in other means," the Chief Minister said.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi visited flood-hit Hubli in Karnataka.
A 24 hour control room has been set up in Kerala Police Headquarters to assist those affected by the rains. The emergency response centre can be reached by calling 112. The system is linked with all control room vehicles in the State.
Indian Navy opens naval air station INS Garuda for civil flights view non-availability of Cochin International Airport.
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan said that 315 relief camps have been set up, which are poulated by 22000 people, most of whom are from Wayanad. Death toll across state is 22. Intensity of rainfall is likely to subside tomorrow but another spell of extremely heavy rainfall expected from August 15.
The Indian Coast Gurad has put 16 teams on high alert, while 2 teams rescued 550 people in Kozhikode's Beypore.
The rescuers are finding it difficult to navigate around the debris due to multiple low-intensity landslides in Wayanad, official said, adding this area has not seen a landslide in 20 years. Officials said there is a possibility those rescued could be airlifted. Over 22,000 people - 9,000 in Wayanad alone - have been evacuated from flooded areas in several districts. Wayanad has the most number of relief camps at 105 out of a total 315 across the state, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority said.
The Indian navy team which had aborted plans to airlift those stranded in the flood in Sangli has reached after police provided a green corridor to them.
Indian Air Force teams have rescued a total of 25 civilians by winching from Roggi, Halolli, Udhagatti & Girdal in Karnataka.
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa visited relief camps in Mudhol today.
Kerala FloodMore than 500 passengers are stranded in Maharashtra's Kolhapur district, which received heavy rains causing excessive floods. Here are visuals of passengers stuck in Kini village in the district:
A dozen rescue teams of the Indian Navy are being deployed in the flood-devastated Sangli district of Western Maharashtra, an official said on Friday. The rescue teams left for Sangli on Thursday night by road in state transport vehicles after their airlift was aborted due to unfavourable condition in Sangli and adjoining Kolhapur, another flood-hit district, a defence spokesperson said in a statement.
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan conducted a review meeting to discuss the disaster management measure being taken during Kerala floods.
Rahul Gandhi spoke to the PM Modi seeking all possible assistance for the people severely affected by the floods and landslides in the state, especially in Wayanad.
Only rooftops and trees are visible from a highway near Kolhapur in Maharashtra, which has been flooded for days after heavy rain that has completely cut off essential supplies and damaged thousands of homes. The road to Kolhapur city has partly vanished under water. In visuals this morning, every building seen from a flyover just outside Kolhapur, including hotels, showrooms and a large godown, were in 10-feet deep water, with only their roofs visible. A broken traffic signal showed how badly the infrastructure has been damaged. The Panchganga river that flows nearby has flooded the city.
In Wayanad Meppadi landslide 100 persons have been evacuated so far.
Due to the rainfall in Karnataka, bus services in certain routes were cancelled. Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) said that bus services between Mysuru to Madikeri and Mysuru to H D Kote Road routes were suspended keeping in mind passenger safety. Holealur town in Karnataka was also affected due to floods caused by overflowing of Mallapur dam. Owing to torrential downpour, hundreds of people were forced to take shelter at Holealur station. Rescue and relief operations in flood-affected areas are in full swing as the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) has deployed several teams in Karnataka.
There was no let-up from heavy rains in Kerala as four members of a family were killed at Edavanna in Malappuram district when their house collapsed on Friday, taking the rain-related death toll in the state to 12, while over 22,000 people have been moved to relief camps. The Cochin International Airport, where flight operations was suspended till midnight Friday after floodwaters inundated the apron area (parking), will remain closed till 3 PM on Sunday, an official press release said.
54 people have been rescued by NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) from Puthumala near Meppadi in Wayanad. Approximately 100 people have been rescued so far.
NDRF carrying out rescue operations in Maharashtra.
Only rooftops and trees are visible from a highway near Kolhapur in Maharashtra, which has been flooded for days after heavy rain that has completely cut off essential supplies and damaged thousands of homes. The road to Kolhapur city has partly vanished under water. In visuals this morning, every building seen from a flyover just outside Kolhapur, including hotels, showrooms and a large godown, were in 10-feet deep water, with only their roofs visible. A broken traffic signal showed how badly the infrastructure has been damaged. The Panchganga river that flows nearby has flooded the city.
Visuals of NDRF rescuing senior citizens in Jhulelal chowk in Maharashtra's Sangli
9 people have died in the flood-affected state of Karnataka so far.
Indigo Airlines tweeted announcing that all flights to and from Kochi have been suspended as the airport remains closed for operations die to flooding.
High waves of 3.2-3.7 meters are forecasted till 23:30 hours of August 10 along the coast of Kerala from Pozhiyoor to Kasargod. Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas for the above mentioned period.
"We strongly recommend that your communications plan include a backup means. Keep your phone charged. Follow instructions from local officials. Listen to instructions regarding evacuation or sheltering. If advised to evacuate, do so immediately," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan tweeted.
Rahul Gandhi too expressed concerns over the situation in some states of the country and urged his party workers to help the affected areas. The flood situation in my parliamentary constituency, Wayanad is grim. I'm monitoring the situation closely & have spoken to the Kerala chief minister and key Government officials to expedite relief. I will be reaching out to PM Modi as well to brief him & request Central Govt. assistance.
22,165 people have been evacuated to safety and lodged in 315 camps across the state.
12 rescue teams of Navy have left last night for Sangli by road in state govt transport after the Air lift was aborted due to unfavorable weather condition in Kolhapur and Sangli. Police escorts were provided for a green corridor till Sangli. These 12 Navy teams will be deployed today in Sangli in addition to the teams already present in Kolhapur.
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday night held a meeting with government and State Disaster Management Authority officials, and said a serious situation prevails in parts of the state, especially in Wayanad.
Over 8,000 people have been evacuated from flooded areas in several districts, they said. Thunderstorm with wind speed up to 50 kmph have has been forecast to hit Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam and Thrissur. Kerala has asked the centre to send 10 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to the state. Seven of these teams are expected to reach today. One NDRF team has been already positioned in Idukki.
Flight operations at Cochin International Airport in Kerala have been stopped till 3 pm on Sunday due to heavy rain, airport officials said today. The water level in Periyar river and a canal near the airport has been rising. Flight operations were stopped till 9 am today, but it had to be extended after the apron area at the Kochi airport got flooded, Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) posted on its Facebook page. An entire cluster of homes of plantation workers at a tea estate in Wayanad was swept away by a landslide on Thursday evening. At least 150 are trapped under the debris and 200 are injured, officials said. A team of the Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the fire department are at the site.
Kerala: A landslide occurred in Puthumala, Wayanad, yesterday. Rescue operations underway.
Flight operations at Cochin International Airport in Kerala have been stopped till 3 pm on Sunday due to heavy rain, airport officials said today. The water level in Periyar river and a canal near the airport has been rising. Flight operations were stopped till 9 am today, but it had to be extended after the apron area at the Kochi airport got flooded, Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) posted on its Facebook page.