15 dead, Kerala on high alert as rains worsen

The death toll in rain-related incidents across Kerala has risen to 15, with seven people still missing, Chief Minister V D Satheesan said on Monday, 3rd August, as the state intensified rescue and relief operations amid continuing heavy rain.

Satheesan said the overall situation was under control across the state, except in some areas of Pathanamthitta, where heavy rainfall has caused flooding and prompted large-scale rescue efforts.

Addressing a press conference after chairing a joint emergency meeting of the State Disaster Management Authority, the chief minister said 316 relief camps were functioning across Kerala as of 9 am, sheltering 11,018 people.

Fourteen fishing boats from Kollam have been deployed to Chengannur for rescue operations, while two helicopters from Sulur in Tamil Nadu have reached Thiruvananthapuram. One National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team has also been deployed in the affected areas.

"Food packets have been prepared for distribution through helicopters and ground teams, and all necessary arrangements have been completed," Satheesan said.

Giving a district-wise account of casualties, he said Kottayam had reported three deaths, including two from the Erattupetta area in Poonjar constituency and a child who accidentally fell into a tank at Puthuppally.

Idukki reported two deaths, while one person each died in Vizhinjam and Muthalapozhi. One person is also missing from Muthalapozhi.

Kollam reported two deaths and two missing persons, while Malappuram recorded four deaths and one missing person. Kannur reported one death and two missing persons, and Kozhikode recorded one death.

The chief minister said seven people remained missing according to the latest reports.

He said two NDRF teams had been deployed in Kottayam and one in Pathanamthitta, while two more teams had been requested from Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu and were expected to reach the state shortly.

Directions have also been issued to deploy Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel in Alappuzha and utilise Defence Security Corps personnel in Kannur and Wayanad if required, he said.

Satheesan said preliminary estimates showed crop damage across 164.98 hectares, affecting 3,596 farmers, but cautioned that the figures were likely to rise after detailed assessments.

The chief minister also appealed to people not to believe rumours on social media about the release of water from major reservoirs, saying no problems had been reported from any major dam.

"False reports claiming that water is being released from major reservoirs are creating unnecessary panic. Strict action will be taken against those spreading such rumours," he said.

He said the Idukki reservoir was at 38.91 per cent capacity, Edamalayar at 46.64 per cent, Banasura Sagar at 52.9 per cent, Kakki at 44.82 per cent, Kallada at 45 per cent, Malampuzha at 35 per cent and Peechi at 34 per cent.

Announcing relief measures, Satheesan said the government had sanctioned Rs 10,000 towards funeral expenses for each deceased person and Rs 10,000 for each family returning from relief camps after floodwaters entered their homes.

People who lost their livelihoods due to the disaster would receive Rs 300 per person, limited to two people per ration card, until normalcy returns, he said.

The families of each deceased person would receive a total compensation of Rs 8 lakh, while assistance for families whose houses were completely destroyed in major landslides would be increased from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 12 lakh.

Satheesan also said crop damage compensation would be increased, with revised rates to be announced after the next Cabinet meeting.

The chief minister described the disaster as a flash flood event and said exceptionally heavy rainfall developed suddenly overnight.

"Rainfall exceeding 200 mm is categorised as extremely heavy rainfall. In several places, rainfall crossed 300 mm, while Vadasserikkara recorded nearly 350 mm," he said.

Satheesan said the India Meteorological Department's forecasting systems had limitations in predicting such highly localised, cloudburst-like events, leaving little time for evacuation once the extreme rainfall began.