A host of agencies are involved in the daunting relief effort. Apart from the Army, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard, there are 57 NDRF teams, comprising 1,300 personnel and 435 boats, conducting search and rescue operations in Kerala. There are five companies of BSF, CISF and RAF teams. A total of 38 helicopters have been deployed, and 20 aircraft are also being used for ferrying resources.<\/p>\n
There are 10 columns of the Army and 10 teams of Engineering Task Force (ETFs), 82 teams of the Navy and 42 teams of the Coast Guard.<\/p>\n
Over 82,000 people were rescued on Friday as multiple rescue agencies shifted people from flooded districts to relief camps. As several parts of Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts were submerged, people were camped on terraces or higher floors waiting for rescuers.<\/p>\n
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Friday said the heavy rains, floods and landslides have killed at least 173 people since August 8. There were 31 deaths reported on Friday.<\/p>\n
Since May, 285 people have died in rain-related incidents, said a report in The Indian Express (IE). The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)<\/a> has rescued over 4,000 people while the Navy has rescued 400.<\/p>\n The Chief Minister Friday said rescue operations are progressing well despite the inclement weather. At least 82,442 people were rescued on Friday. There are 3,14,391 people from 70,085 families who have been shifted to relief camps. There are nearly 2,100 camps across the state. This is the worst flood in 100 years, Vijayan reiterated, adding that the road to recovery is going to be a long one.<\/p>\n Among the severely affected districts are Ernakulam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Thrissur, where the situation remains “grave”.<\/p>\n Idukki remained cut off for third day. Idukki MP Joice George, talking to The Indian Express, said bodies of victims trapped in landslides couldn\u2019t be retrieved as the entire district administration is paralysed and people are affected or stranded in different places in the hill area. He added that relief camps in the district are desperate for food \u2013 especially rice, vegetables, clothes including undergarments and sanitary napkins for women.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, in an emotional appeal Friday, Chengannur MLA Saji Cherian broke down in a TV studio saying thousands in his constituency would die if the Centre didn\u2019t provide additional aid and send more helicopters. The Navy subsequently rushed 10 boats to the area to conduct relief operations. Chengannur and Chalakudy areas are the worst affected at the moment because of the heavy currents here, CM Vijayan said. Hundreds of fishermen from coastal villages have joined the rescue efforts at Pathanamthitta, where helicopters are airlifting people to safer places.<\/p>\n Chief Ministers across the country are chipping in to help Kerala, said media reports. Jharkhand CM Raghunar Das announced Rs 5 crore aid for Kerala. Maharashtra CM Fadnavis announces 20 crore assistance for flood-hit Kerala. Mahasrashtra has also rushed drinking water to Kerala by train.<\/p>\n Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also said MCHI-CREDAI is contributing with food packets of 1.5 crore and Rajasthani Welfare Association & JITO International contributing Rs 51 lakh each. Around 11 ton of dry food is being arranged so far out of which 6 ton would be sent by evening, he said.<\/p>\n From Delhi, all AAP MPs, MLAs and ministers will donate one-month salary for the relief work in flood-ravaged Kerala. Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal announced Rs 10 crore relief for the state from the government on Friday.<\/p>\n Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced aid of Rs 10 crore from Kerala. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik has announced Rs 5 crore for the state.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the weather continues to pour misery as heavy rains batter the state. While the intensity of rainfall activity reduced over Kerala on Friday, the Indian Metereological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rainfall for the next two days. Rain has already intensified in Kochi and central districts of Kerala. It said, a circulation has formed in north Bay of Bengal which will have an impact on Kerala and heavy rain will continue today and tomorrow (Sunday) in the flood-hit state.<\/p>\n Between June 1 and August 17, the state received cumulative rainfall of 2,306.88 mm, compared to the normal 1,634.5 mm \u2014 an excess of 41.12 per cent.<\/p>\n According to the weather department, since the beginning of June more than 321 centimetres (126 inches) of rain has fallen on the hilly central Kerala district of Idukki, which is now virtually cut off from the rest of the state, reported NDTV. Just this season, rain in Kerala has seen a nearly-160 per cent rise above normal.<\/p>\n![\"Kerala](\"http:\/\/s3apnlivemumbai.s3-website.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com\/apnlive\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Kerala-Flood.jpg\")
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