45 Dead As Incessant Rains, Floods Wreak Havoc In South India, Kerala Worst Hit

People in several districts of Kerala, particularly Wayanad and Malappuram, continued to face the wrath of the rains with landslips and floods over the past three days.

Wayanad: Swollen water flow following incessant monsoon rainfall causing flood and lanslide, near Meppady Puthumala in Wayanad, Friday, Aug 9, 2019. (PTI Photo)

Thiruvananthapuram: Incessant rains continued to hammer South India --Kerala being the worst-hit-- with reports of 45 deaths over the past three days. The death in Kerala alone has reached 28 and over 64,000 people have shifted into 738 relief camps across the rain-battered state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed. Rail and air services were also hit and authorities scrambled to rescue people from low-lying and submerged areas. People in several districts of Kerala, particularly Wayanad and Malappuram, continued to face the wrath of the rains with landslips and floods over the past three days. At least 40 people are feared to have been trapped under debris in landslips that shook the worst affected districts of Wayanad and Malappuram, Vijayan said. The government has sought the assistance of the Indian Air Force, he said. In New Delhi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who represents the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat from Kerala, spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the floods and sought aid. "...The PM has assured to provide any assistance required to mitigate effects of the disaster," he tweeted from his Wayanad MP twitter handle. The Met department has issued a red alert in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Idukki, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod Districts of the state for Friday and in Ernakulam, Idukki, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad and Kannur for August 10. Kavalapara near Nilambur in Malappuram District suffered heavy loss with nearly 40 houses being washed away due to a massive landslide, officials said. A year after Kerala was ravaged by the deadliest monsoon that led to the worst deluge in the state's history in a century,it was again at the receiving end of nature's fury, prompting government to seek the help of Army and Air Force. Vijayan, who reviewed the situation, said 28 people had lost their lives in the last three days and seven are missing. Over 80,000 flood-affected people were evacuated in Karnataka, as neighbouring Tamil Nadu asked the IAF to be on stand by to be deployed for rescue activities in rain-hit Nilgiris district where five people have died. The flood situation in Karnataka worsened on Friday with no let up in rains as the authorities battled to reach out to the needy in the State, where the toll went up to 12. Twelve people have died in rain-related incidents so far, chief minister B S Yediyurappa, who has camped in flood-ravaged north Karnataka, told reporters at Bagalkote. Yediyurappa also announced a compensation of Rs five lakh each to the families of those killed due to flood and rain related incidents in the state. In Tamil Nadu, rains continued to pound Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts. The toll in rain-related incidents in the hilly Nilgiris district rose to five on Friday. A woman and her daughter died when the wall of their house collapsed while bodies of of two women estate workers were recovered from a blocked drain at Kuruthukuli Friday. A 65-year-old man had died in a wall collapse on Thursday Avalanche -- a major tourist destination in the district -- recorded 911 mm rainfall in the 24-hour period ending 8.30 am on Friday, the weather department said. Chief Minister K Palaniswami announced a relief of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the victims. Further, 1704 people affected due to floods and landslips have been lodged in 28 relief centres. In Andhra Pradesh, 31 members belonging to the fishing community, including 12 women, who were trapped in the raging Godavari river at Polavaram were rescued by the Navy. A Navy helicopter,which was deployed from Visakhapatnam for rescue operation, airlifted the stranded fisherfolk to Dowaleswaram in two sorties, State Disaster Management Authority said. (With inputs from PTI)