Kerala floods: The weather department forecast heavy rains until August 15.
Home Minister Rajanth Singh will undertake an aerial survey of flood-hit Kerala today. He will be accompanied by Tourism Minister KJ Alphons and senior officers from the Ministry of Home Affairs. At least 37 people have died in the torrential rain and landslides that have ravaged the southern state since August 8. More than half of the 14 districts in Kerala have been put on high alert, officials said on Saturday.
Crops on 1,031 hectares (2547.66 acres) have been damaged and 31,000 people have been forced to take shelter in rescue camps, according to the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority's (KSDMA) control room in the state capital.
The weather department forecast heavy rains until August 15, Independence Day, also warning of flooding in low-lying coastal areas. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the Arabian Sea.
Here are the LIVE updates of Kerala floods:
The situation in the hilly district of Wayanad, which has seen massive destruction to crops and properties, on Sunday looked a bit grim with intermittent heavy rains pounding the region.
The district of Idukki recorded 90mm of rain for a period of 24 hours on Saturday morning which receded to 40mm on Sunday morning, according to weather authorities.
The water level in Idukki dam further decreased on Sunday and now stands at 2,399.28 feet, news agency IANS reported.
Officials have taken the unprecedented step of opening the gates of 25 water reservoirs to prevent potentially disastrous breaches.
Crops on 1,031 hectares (2547.66 acres) have been damaged and 31,000 people have been forced to take shelter in rescue camps, according to the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority's (KSDMA) control room in the state capital.
More than half of the 14 districts in Kerala have been put on high alert, officials said on Saturday, as the death toll from one of the worst floods in the southern state reached 37.