Kerala Flood LIVE Updates: Rescuers Rush to Isolated Areas in Race Against Rain

Massive Kerala Flood Rescue Operations | A large number of people, including senior citizens, women and children were airlifted from isolated buildings, while many others were evacuated in army boats, large fishing vessels and makeshift yachts, official sources said. Packed house boats and rafts moving through inundated roads could be seen in all the flood-hit regions of the state.

Rajasthan with Kerala | A 27-member team of the Rajasthan State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) left for Kerala on Saturday with 12 boats from a special aircraft of the Indian Air Force to provide relief and assistance to those affected by the floods. "We are in touch with the Additional Director General of Police, Police Headquarters of Kerala. The team will be pressed into services on his instructions. The team is in a position to go to the immediate relief and assistance,"Additional Director General of SDRF B L Soni said. Soni said the necessary equipment and materials have also been sent to provide immediate assistance to flood affected people. He said the special aircraft of the Indian Air Force left with 8 boats and 15 jawans from Jaipur and 4 boats and 12 jawans from Jodhpur to Kerala. The team will help the flood victims in coordination with the local authority, he added.

The rains have been lashing several parts of the state since morning, hampering the rescue and relief operations in various areas even as National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) managed to rescue 7,000 people.

Statement attributed to a Jet Airways spokesperson:

For guests with confirmed tickets into and out of Cochin for travel till 26th August, 2018, Jet Airways has waived off date/ flight change from the original travel date or choosing an alternate destination which is close to Cochin airport, refund, no-show penalties and fare difference if any, due to the closure of the Cochin airport. Guests are advised to check the airline’s latest flight schedule online on its website or mobile App or contact the Jet Airways Contact Centre at +91-(City Code)-39893333

However, the following Jet Airways’ flights stand cancelled:

In view of the rapidly diminishing connectivity of Kerala and the suspension of operations at Cochin International Airport until Sunday, 26th  August,Jet Airways will be operating additional domestic flights to Thiruvananthapuram from Mumbai, Bangalore, Dubai and Dammam w.e.f 19th  August, 2018 for the convenience of its guests. The schedule is as under:

On Saturday, Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh announced that his government will send a train full of rice worth Rs 7.5 crore, which is scheduled to reach on Sunday. Besides rice, 3 crores will be provided in cash to the flood-hit state of Kerala. Doctors, soldiers & even public of our state is ready to go there to help, the Chhattisgarh CM said.

Role of ISRO in Kerala Flood Rescue Operations | Five satellites of the Indian Space and Reseach Organisation (ISRO) are playing a key role in monitoring the flood-situation and rescue operations in Kerala, The Time of India reported. Five observation satellites — Oceansat-2, Resourcesat-2, Cartosat 2, Cartosat 2A and INSAT-3DR — are providing real time images to the ground station which is aiding in organising the relief and rescue operations. “We are using the data from these satellites to provide alerts on flooding, areas of inundation during and after rain, and weather forecasts," an official said.
 

A News18 Kerala initiative to assist the flood-affected in Kerala: 

Kerala Flood Rescue Operations Resume | Relief materials being loaded on board Naval Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), Chetak helicopter & Naval Sea King helicopter at Naval Air Station INS Garuda in Kochi, ANI tweeted: 

#KeralaFloods: Relief materials being loaded on board Naval Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), Chetak helicopter & Naval Sea King helicopter at Naval Air Station INS Garuda in Kochi pic.twitter.com/t2hAtwZivj

— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2018

In this image, scores of people can be seen being rescued using ferry boats as roads remained thoroughly water-logged across flood-hit Kerala:

International Cooperation for Kerala Flood Relief | On Saturday, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) prime minister and Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum had come out in support for deluge-hit Kerala and ordered the formation of an emergency committee to provide relief to the victims. PM Modi thanked the UAE ruler for extending support for Kerala. “A big thanks to @hhshkmohd for his gracious offer to support people of Kerala during this difficult time. His concern reflects the special ties between governments and people of India and UAE,” PM Modi tweeted.

Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani in his tweet said:

Under HH the Amir @TamimBinHamad directives, $5 million has been allocated to the flood victims of #Kerala. We extend our sincere condolences to the victims’ families & to the Indian people, many who have contributed to Qatar’s development & wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

— عبدالله بن ناصر بن خليفة آل ثاني (@ANK_AlThani) August 18, 2018

Overseas Aid | Qatar government on Sunday announced that they will provide an aid of five million dollars for flood-hit Kerala. Qatar Prime Minister Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, who took to twitter to extend his condolences to the family of the deceased in the deluge, said that Amir (Monarch) Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has allocated 5 million dollars for the relief of victims of floods.

Kerala Floods Fury | The death toll due to incessant rainfall resulting in deadly floods in Kerala was 33 on Saturday alone. The deaths reported during the day took place in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who undertook an aerial survey of the flood-hit state, announced a relief of Rs 500 crore even as the IMD predicted that Kerala was not expected to receive heavy rainfall from August 20.

From the official handle of Union Minister Suresh Prabhu:

Schedule for Alliance Air flights for #Kerala #KeralaFloodRescue #KeralaRelief pic.twitter.com/iYerdheqwg

— Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) August 18, 2018

Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu further said that more destinations, including Madurai, will be added soon and that other airlines are also likely to join the effort. "In view of disruption of flights from Cochin airport due to floods, a joint team sent by @MoCA_GoI has approved starting of scheduled commercial flights using ATRs by Alliance Air, a subsidiary of Air India, between Bangalore and Cochin Naval Air base. #KeralaFloods," the Minister tweeted. "The flight operations between Bangalore and Cochin Naval air base will be starting from 20th August morning. More destinations such as Coimbatore, Madurai are also in the pipeline. Other airlines are likely to join this effort too. All possible steps are being taken for #KeralaFloods. (SIC)"

Restoration of Connectivity | Union minister Suresh Prabhu said Alliance Air flights would be made operational for flood-hit Kerala in an effort to restore connectivity, even as he asked airlines to lower flight fares to and from the state. The Kochi air strip will also be opened for commercial flights, it was announced. According to the airline, flight operations will commence from August 20.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi also asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to not just release extra financial assistance for the state but also give the floods the status of a ‘national calamity’.

Politics over Kerala Flood Rescue | However, politics over the tragedy continued as Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala criticised the state for “failing in the endeavour” to rescue people. “I have been flooded with calls from the affected persons. Even now, thousands of people are stranded. The chief minister dismissed with contempt when I said this week that rescue and relief should be handed over to the army. I do not want to blame anyone but it has been proved beyond doubt that the state government has failed,” he said.

Financial Assistance Pours in | Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who conducted an aerial survey of flood-ravaged Kerala, announced a relief of Rs 500 crore even as states such as Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan and Arunachal Pradesh among others came forward to lend a helping hand to Kerala, which is facing its worst floods in over a century. Expressing gratitude, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the Centre had been “helpful” and the state and Union governments had to work together to manage such situations like they did during Cyclone Ockhi.

Kerala Flood Relief Operations Continue | Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the toll in the floods had gone up to 357 after 33 more deaths were reported on Saturday. He added that 58,506 people were rescued the same day. To further aid rescue and relief efforts and help those stranded in the floods, the government announced that all mobile operators had offered free SMS and data services in Kerala.

Kerala Flood Fury | A bed-ridden patient being rescued from a flood-affected region after heavy rainfall in Kochi on Saturday:

A large number of people, including senior citizens and children, were airlifted from isolated buildings, while many others were evacuated in army boats, large fishing vessels and makeshift yachts, official sources said. Packed houseboats and rafts moving through inundated roads could be seen in all the flood-hit regions of the state. However, people in worst-hit places such as Pathanamthitta and Chengannur said hundreds were yet to be evacuated.

Kerala continued to reel under unprecedented floods on Saturday, with the death toll in the state climbing to 357. Rescue and relief efforts continued on a war footing as thousands of people stranded in isolated buildings and rooftops were rescued on Saturday, even as rains and fresh landslides were reported in some places.

The spokesperson said for passengers with confirmed tickets into and out of Cochin for travel till August 26, Jet Airways has waived off date/ flight change from the original travel date or choosing an alternate destination which is close to Cochin airport, refund, no-show penalties and fare difference if any, due to the closure of the Cochin airport. The following Jet Airways’ flights stand cancelled:

August 21, 2018

- 9W 436/406 (BOM-COK-BOM)

- 9W 556/555 (COK-DOH-COK)

- 9W 561/562 (SHJ-COK-SHJ)

- 9W 569/570 (DMM-COK-DMM)

- 9W 534/533 (COK-MCT-COK)

- 9W 527/528 (DXB-COK-DXB)

- 9W 403/404 (BOM-COK-BOM)

- 9W 407/825 (BOM-COK-BOM)

August 22, 2018

- 9W 436/406 (BOM-COK-BOM)

- 9W 556/555 (COK-DOH-COK)

- 9W 561/562 (SHJ-COK-SHJ)

- 9W 569/570 (DMM-COK-DMM)

- 9W 534/533 (COK-MCT-COK)

- 9W 527/528 (DXB-COK-DXB)

- 9W 403/404 (BOM-COK-BOM)

- 9W 407/825 (BOM-COK-BOM)

A Jet Airways spokesperson on Saturday said given the suspension of operations at Cochin International Airport until August 26, the airline will be operating additional domestic flights to Thiruvananthapuram from Mumbai, Bengaluru, Dubai and Dammam from August 19. The schedule is as under:

The railways have issued guidelines regarding transportation of relief material to flood-hit Kerala 

People rescued in Karnataka being carried to safety through the jungles of Madikeri, Kodagu, by the Madras Engineering Group.

#KodaguFloodRelief -

Persons rescued are being carried to safety through the jungles of Madikeri, Kodagu by the Madras Engineering Group columns of the @adgpi #KodaguFloodRelief @nsitharaman pic.twitter.com/3zcZDNzeEy

— Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) 18 August 2018