KERALA FLOODS LIVE UPDATES | Rains forecast to reduce, even as rescue and relief operations continue

Follow this link to make donations to Government of Kerala Chief Minister's Distress relief find

These are the following helpline numbers you can contact:

Update at 3:25 PM: Cochi Internation Airport Limited on Tuesday issued a statement saying that the airport authorities are working their best to resume the operations by August 26. 

The Statement read: 

"We have been striving hard to settle down the issued pertaining yo KOCHI AIRPORT due to flood. We hope that we can resume operations on 26-08-18 as announced earlier. The cleaning work inside terminals is underway. The water-logging in Runway, Taxiway, Parking Bas are completely receded. The runway needs some milling works and which will be completed within two days. To ensure utmost safety, all runway lights (almost 800 of them) have to be removed, tested and refitted. Another challenge is the reconstruction of the flood-hit perimeter wall. We have almost 2,600 meters of the wall. 

The reconstruction work has already been started. Parallel to this, we are erecting ready-to-use structures, as per security norms, to meet with the deadline. Please be with us, as we are indulging in hectic damage control activities. To support your travel needs, CIAL is rendering terminal management services to the Navy Airport from where limited domestic operations have started. More airlines are joining us for domestic operations from there. Like, earlier, we hope that we can surmount this difficult situation and will be ready to serve you as soon as possible"

Update at 1:00 PM: 58 teams of NDRF is in Kerala. NDRF team is helping everyone there. 24500 rescued by NDRF teams. Medical aide has been given to 5000 people. We are now focussing on rehabilitation and relief materials: NDRF DG

Update at 12:15 PM: As per the directions of Sri K. Chandrasekhara Rao, Hon’ble CM, Govt of Telangana is sending 500 MT  paraboiled rice to Kerala today. This was on the request of Kerala CM, when I met him on Aug 19 to present Rs 25 Cr cheque as immediate assistance from Telangana Govt: Asok Kumar, Principal Resident Commissioner, Telangana Bhavan

Update at 11:25 AM: United Arab Emirates (UAE) offered financial assistance of $100 million for Kerala floods: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Update at 11:23 AM: Kerala cabinet has decided to recommend to the Governor to convene a special assembly session on August 30th to discuss relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction of Kerala after floods: CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Update at: 9:37 AM: Minister of State and Tourism, Alphons KJ urges public to provide the following necessities to the people stranded in Kerala.

Update at 9:30 AM: Public sector oil companies donate Rs 25 crore to Kerala relief fund.

Update at 9:15 AM: Kerala Govt calls an all party meet today at 4pm in Trivandrum.

Update at 10:23 PM: Here's a list of Relief Collection Centres in Kerala.

Update at 8:53 PM: Kerala Chief Minister requests to not have extravagant Onam celebrations, instead asks people to donate to money to increase the funds. 

Update at 8:50 PM: State Government to honour fishermen on August 29 who actively participated in the rescue operations 

Update at 7:30 PM: Indian armed forces scales down 'Op Madad' as Flood Situation Improves 

Update at 7:24 PM: Essential food and medicines being moved to Kerala as Rescue and Relief Operations continue: Kerala Government

Update at 6:21 PM: Ministry of Home Affairs declares Kerala floods as a 'calamity of severe nature'

Update at 4:46 PM: Japan PM Abe writes to PM Modi, offers condolences on Kerala Floods. Says Japan is ready to provide any assistance.

Here's what the letter read: 

Dear Prime Minister Modi, 

My heart deeply aches to have learned that there have been enormous damages due to the widespread heavy rain which hit various areas in India such as the States of Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra.

On behalf of the Government of Japan and the people of Japan, I offer my sincere prayers for those who have lost their precious lives, and express my heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families. 

On this devastating disaster, Japan is ready to provide any assistance. Japan stands by India. I pray for the earliest recovery of the disaster-ridden areas for those who have been afflicted. 

 

Shinzo Abe

Prime Minister of Japan

Update at 4:12 PM: Contact drugs nodal officer in case there is a shortfall. New stock will be coming in tomorrow. All camps will have a health worker from tomorrow who will coordinate requirement for ambulances: Kerala health secretary

Update at 4:10 PM: People who want to deliver medicines they should contact the drug authority: Kerala health secretary

Update at 4:07 PM: Use only chlorinated water. If in case, chlorine is not available, contact us. We will make it available: Kerala health minister

Update at 4:05 PM: Many victims have told us about loss of documents. The CM has said that these will be provided again in due course. Social justice Dept has appointed counsellors in camps to talk to people under stress: Kerala health minister

Update at 4:01 PM: Our hospitals have been damaged by flood waters. It will take some time to rebuild those with structural damage. In the interim, PHCs will be set up nearby these hospitals: Kerala health minister

Update at 4:00 PM: Help Line Numbers for Gulf Air Reservations

Kochi – 0484-402-9190 / 0484 – 4029191

Thiruvananthapuram – 0471-4011126

Toll Free Number – 1800-123-7474

Chennai – 044-28156245

Hyderabad – 040 -23354090 / 040 – 23354091 / 040 – 23354092

Delhi – 011 – 43939313

Update at 3:58 PM: There is no shortage of medicines. People should refrain from posting fake messages on Facebook. If there is any shortage, people can contact us. The necessary arrangements will be made: Kerala health minister 

Update at 3:51 PM : We have set up a control room to monitor the situation in districts. 8 districts severely affected, 3 districts badly affected. Nodal officers have been appointed. Kerala health minister

Update at 3:35 PM: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan thank Telangana CM K Chandrashekhar Rao for providing Rs 25 crore support for flood relief.

Update at 2:52 PM: Relief material worth Rs.50 Lakh has been sent to flood affected areas of Kerala & Karnataka and we will be sending material worth Rs.1.5 crore more. Nation is proud of the rescue & relief operations conducted by our security forces in the flood affected areas: Baba Ramdev

Update at 2:30 PM: Lieutenant General D R Soni stated that about 70 teams have been deployed to rescue any people who have not yet been rescued. Each team according to the Lieutenant General, consisting of an infantry, an artillery, a signaller with a satellite phone, an engineer and a medical peronnel to look after the people after they are rescued. 

Update at 2:26 PM: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tweets that about 30000 people have been rescued while 3500 have been provided with medical aids

Update at 1:35 PM: IAS Officers Association of Odisha and Telangana State to donate their one day's salary to the relief fund for Kerala floods.

Update at 12:45 PM: Evacuation of Sree Narayan hospital was also carried out yesterday, at Aluva, Ernakulam. A serious kidney patient and a 20 day old baby were rescued. Capt Rishav Jamwal has evacuated more than 600 persons till date without a boat, using just ropes, expedient and innovation.

Update at 12:00 PM: Indian Navy give an update on the rescue operations.

Update at 11:22 AM: Called a review meeting on Kerala Floods with deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha and other senior officials of Rajya Sabha and Vice President Secretariat and decided to donate a month’s salary for relief measures: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu

Update at 11:15 AM: All MPs and MLAs of Shiv Sena to contribute their one month salary to Kerala Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

Update at 10:48 AM: Sewa International, an Indian non-profit organisation in America, has raised over USD 10,000 for the flood relief operations in the deluge-hit Kerala.

Update at 10:35 AM: Train services between state capital and Ernakulam are also slowly becoming normalised. Skeletal services were run between Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram and Alappuzha-Kottayam routes saw trains packed with flood affected people moving to the houses of their friends and relatives.

Update at 10:20 AM: Flood relief operations by coast guard in Kerala continues.

Update at 10:15 AM: The first commercial flight has landed in Kerala.

Update at 10:00 AM: A 'THANKS' message written at a terrace of a house in Aluva for the security forces.

Update at 9:45 AM: Today morning at 9.30am, 55 doctors from JJ hospital, 26 doctors from Sasoon Hospital, paramedical staff across Maharashtra coming over to Trivandrum by two Air India aircrafts.

Update at 9:30 AM: Commercial flights begin to operate from the Kochi naval. Flights to and from Kochi have commenced. All arrangements at the local naval air station for civilian flights after the local airport was inundated due to heavy rains and shut for operations.

The floods in Kerala have claimed the lives of 370 people, disrupting normal life from the face of the state. Several thousand are still stranded at their house, while several others have taken refuge at relief camps set across the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kerala on Friday to conduct an aerial survey of the state. He announced the immediate release of Rs 500 crore in emergency aid for Kerala following his survey of the state undertaken on Saturday morning. Here are the salient points of the measures that have been announced following the Prime Minister's arrival in the state:

He held a review meeting and conducted an aerial assessment of the damage caused. He was accompanied by the Kerala Governor, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Union MoS KJ Alphons. Following the review, the Prime Minister announced financial assistance of Rs 500 crore to the state, in addition to Rs 100 crore announced by the Home Minister on August 12. He has assured that relief items, including food and medical supplies will be supplied to the Kerala government as required. 

FOR CASUALTIES OF THE FLOODS:

An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh per person for the next of kin of the deceased has been announced from the Prime Minister's National Relief fund, as well as Rs 50,000 for those who are seriously injured. As per the Kerala CMO, Kerala is facing its worst floods in 100 years. 

WEATHER UPDATE:

Red alert has been lifted from all the 14 districts in the state. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that the rainfall will decrease in the coming days, and there will be either low or no rain for next five days.

ALL THE PREVIOUS UPDATES HERE