Lakhs of people have been displaced while several dozens have been killed by now due to rain-related incidents in Kerala, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The death toll from floods in India's states of Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra rose to 95, official figures showed on Saturday, as heavy rain and landslides forced hundreds of thousands to evacuate their homes.
Heavy rains continue to pound various regions of the country. Lakhs of people have been displaced while several dozens have been killed by now due to rain-related incidents. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said on its website that heavy to very heavy rain was likely to lash isolated areas of Kerala, parts of Karnataka and Maharashtra, and some southern states might also see extremely heavy rain on Saturday.
Seasonal monsoon rains from June to September are a crucial lifeline for agrarian Indian society, delivering 70% of the country's rainfall, but they also bring in their wake death and destruction every year.
Follow the live updates here:
* Shivamogga: Karnataka State Cricket Association stadium inundated following heavy rainfall in the region
Shivamogga: Karnataka State Cricket Association stadium inundated following heavy rainfall in the region. #KarnatakaFloods pic.twitter.com/61L3CtLCqv
— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2019
* Karnataka: Security forces carry out rescue operations near Badami town
Karnataka: Security forces carry out rescue operations near Badami town. pic.twitter.com/16aZm50ev5
— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2019
* Mumbai Dabbawala Association & Mumbai Roti Bank have come together to help out the flood-affected people in Maharashtra
Maharashtra: Mumbai Dabbawala Association & Mumbai Roti Bank have come together to help out the flood-affected people. They are collecting food & other articles, and sending them to flood affected areas of the state. MaharashtraFlood #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/xBc7iqtS2K
— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2019
* National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel carry out rescue and relief operations in Hasur village of Kolhapur
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel carry out rescue and relief operations in Hasur village of Kolhapur. #MaharashtraFlood pic.twitter.com/83ogm1KpWY
— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2019
* Maharashtra: Areas in Hasur and Nrusinhwadi, in Kolhapur district inundated due to flood water.
#Maharashtra: Areas in Hasur and Nrusinhwadi, in Kolhapur district inundated due to flood water. pic.twitter.com/yenpptQQYI
— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2019
* Teams of Indian Air Force (IAF) carry out rescue operations in Maharashtra's Kolhapur
Rescue operations by teams from Goa Naval Area underway in Kolhapur (Maharashtra) & Uttar Kannada (Karnataka) district. Today's rescue effort involved evacuation of 1016 persons by Navy teams in various parts of Maharashtra, Goa&Karnataka which included 602 women & 193 children pic.twitter.com/s6A2yimRZ1
— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2019
Highlights of Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis' press conference
* Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis reacts to reports that stickers of CM and other leaders were put on flood relief material: Nobody should do it, it is the work of government. There should be no need of pictures of any political party or person.
* As flood water recedes, we will focus on providing drinking water and restoring power: Devendra Fadnavis
* A team of 100 doctors is being sent to Kolhapur and Sangli. There is no lack of medicines: Fadnavis
* Indian Navy teams from Vishakhapatnam are arriving today as Shirol area in Kolhapur is severely affected; 95 boats are operating in Sangli: Fadnavis
* Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis addresses a press conference in Sangli
1. Kerala: At least 42 dead, 1 lakh shifted to relief centres
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Incessant rainfall led almost to a recurrence of last year's devastating deluge in the southern state of Kerala, where the resultant flood-like situation has already put the citizens to distress, with over 1 lakh people having to be shifted to relief centres by rescue workers till now, and prompting the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government to seek help from the armed forces for combatting the situation.
The state's busiest airport, Cochin International Airport, has been closed since Friday as the taxiway is water-logged. The airport will likely reopen on Sunday noon as water levels have started to recede.
Watch: CCTV footage captures devastating landslide in Mallapuram district of #Kerala pic.twitter.com/79llvzrKvj
— DNA (@dna) August 10, 2019
According to reports, Army personnel have already commenced with a war footing rescue operations in the flood-hit Wayanad district, which is one of the worst-hit districts in the disaster. They have even managed to rescue a new-born baby from the grips of the deluge.
Army personnel continue rescue operations in flood hit Wayanad. #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/apvTyKAoxN
— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2019
The death toll has risen to 42, till now. Over 80 landslides across the state have been reported. As many as 19 trains have been cancelled on Saturday.
We will keep updating the numbers as and when details appear. Officials said 'Red Alert' has been issued in Ernakulam, Idukki, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad and Kannur districts, were denoting that the regions will receive very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall.
The Chief Minister today said that the floodgates of the Banasura Sagar dam will be released around 3 PM today. A flood warning has also been issued in four Panchayats.
According to latest updates, rescue teams have reached Kavalappara in Malappuram district where more than 30 people are feared missing after a landslide hit the area on August 8. Rescue operations are being hampered due to bad weather.
In Wayanad, too, a massive landslip resulted in the death of an estimated 30 estate workers at Puthumala near Meppadi. Eight bodies have been recovered so far.
Kerala Police Helpline No. - 0471-324 3000/4000/5000
Ambulance - 108
Kerala State IT mission helpline - 0471-155300
2. Maharashtra: NDRF continues work in Sangli, 14 Navy teams reach Kolhapur
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The inundated situation in western Maharashtra persists in the flood-hit Sangli, Kolhapur, Pune, Satara and Solapur, which are among the worst-hit districts in the state.
The region has been pummelled by heavy rains over the last few days. Nearly 239 villages from Kolhapur and 329 villages from Sangli are enormously affected due to floods. A helicopter was deployed earlier yesterday to drop relief material in the flood-ravaged areas of Sangli district and also to evacuate stranded people.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) continues its rescue operations in Sangli. More teams have been deployed in Kolhapur to continue with relief operations. According to an update by the Defence PRO, 15 Navy teams have also reached Kolhapur from Visakhapatnam, where they have proceeded for rescue operations at Shiroli village (Shirol block) near Kolhapur from 6 AM today.
Due to the situation, all schools in the Barwani, Jhabua, Ujjain, and Mandsaur districts remain closed today.
NDRF helpline: 011-26107953, 09711077372
Army helpline: 011- 23332045, 011- 23019831, 011- 23322045
3. Karnataka: Flood situation worsens, Nirmala Sitharaman to pay a visit
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The flood situation in Karnataka has progressively worsened since Friday, prompting the Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman, to pay a visit to the deluge-hit state.
Nirmala Sitharaman announced today that she was on her way to North Karnataka, where floods are causing severe disruption to daily lives.
On my way to North Karnataka. Floods are causing severe disruption to our daily lives. @BSYBJP @CMofKarnataka
— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) August 10, 2019
The Chief Minister of Karnataka, BS Yeddyurappa today held a press conference regarding the flood situation, where he confirmed that 24 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents so far. However, to combat the situation, 624 relief centres are operational across the spread. As compensation for the victims' deaths, the state government will also provide Rs 5 lakh to the kin of the deceased.
Currently, the flood situation prevails across almost the entire state, where around 1024 villages have been affected massively. 20 NDRF teams, 10 Army teams, 5 Navy units, and 2 SDRF squadrons have been deployed to conduct a joint forces rescue operation.
Earlier, the State Civil Defence QRT (Quick Reaction Team) carried out rescue operations in the flood-hit Holealur village in Gadag district, where severe waterlogging had caused distress for people stuck in their residences.
#KarnatakaFloods: State Civil Defence QRT(Quick Reaction Team) carried out rescue operations in flood hit Holealur village in Gadag district yesterday pic.twitter.com/euPQNW8UwX
— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2019
On Friday, the Karnataka state government announced that schools and colleges would be closed in the following district after heavy rainfall.
Schools and college – both government and private – will be closed till August 15 in the following regions: Dakshina Kannada, Uttar Kannada, Raichur, Bagalkot, Belagavi, Chikkodi, Shivamogga, Bidar, Haveri, Kodagu, Koppal, Yadgir, Kalaburgi, Dharwad, Ballari, Hassan, Udupi, Gadag districts.
Karnataka government has issued directions to district surgeons and health and family development officer to not grant any leaves till August 15 in various districts because of the flood situation in the state.
All legislators of Janata Dal (Secular) will donate one month salary for relief works in flood-affected north Karnataka, former state chief minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy announced on Friday.
Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) members yesterday announced that they will donate a month's salary to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.
The Chief Minister's Office also posted on Twitter the emergency helpline number for people in distress.
Karnataka Chief Minister's rekuef fund details: https://kodagu.nic.in/en/document/chief-ministers-karnataka-relief-fund-calamity-2018-pan-details/
