After days of heavy rainfall and unexpected landslides, which put many lives in danger, Kerala can at last heave a sigh if the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predictions come true on Monday. There is no red warning – red indicating take the necessary action -- for any district tomorrow. However, orange warning – orange indicating be alert and prepared – has been issued for six districts for Monday, August 12. These are Kasargode, Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram and Idukki.
In the last few days in August, more than 60 people have lost their lives in floods and landslides in Kerala. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in his daily press meets, has been giving out the number of people in camps, and the measures in place. On Sunday morning, he said that a total of 2,27,333 people from 65,548 families have been shifted to 1,551 relief camps across the state. The worst affected districts are Malappuram and Wayanad with landslides and mudslides trapping many people under the rubble, and rescue operations becoming difficult with all the routes being blocked or broken. With some relief from the extreme conditions on Sunday, rescue operations have been in progress and more bodies have been recovered from under the mass of soil and rock that the landslides brought with it, especially in Kavalappara in Malappuram and Puthumala in Wayanad.
Three National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, one team of Engineering Task Force, one Coast Guard team and Madras Regiment team have been deployed solely for Malappuram, the CM said on Sunday. One team of Air Force has been deployed for rescue operations each in Malappuram and Wayanad.
Two helicopters have been used to bring food to the isolated areas. Relief materials are reaching the affected areas from some parts of the state. District-wise needs of relief material can be found here.