Even as rescue operations and evacuations are happening in full strength, thousands still remain stranded in various parts of Kerala.
On Friday evening, news reports had stated that all the people of Ranni in Pathanamthitta district, which was badly affected on Thursday, had been rescued and the water levels have gone down.
While conditions in some parts of the state were reported to have become better, areas in Idukki and Chengannur in Alappuzha still continue to be cut-off, making rescue and relief extremely challenging.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kochi on Friday night and will be holding discussions with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday about the condition of the state.
Pinarayi Vijayan reiterated on Friday evening that the flood situation in the state continues to be serious even as intense rescue operations have managed to take over 80,000 people to safety.
Addressing a press conference on Friday evening at the capital Thiruvananthapuram, he said that 82,442 people had been rescued on Friday, primarily with the help of Navy and fisherfolks' boats.
According to official figures, 71,591 people had been rescued from Aluva district, 5,550 from Chalakudy, 3,060 from Chengannur, 2,000 from Kuttanad, and 741 from Thiruvalla and Aranmula.
The Chief Minister also confirmed that 324 people had died in the floods since the onset of South West Monsoon on May 29. Over half of them- 164 across the 14 districts- had died in the deluge in the last days.
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