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Kerala floods: Challenge shifts from rescue to relief
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SME Times News Bureau | 20 Aug, 2018
As rescue operations in Kerala on Monday entered its final stages, the
biggest challenge before the authorities in the flood aftermath turned
into managing the over 5,500 relief camps housing more than 7,00,000
people across the state.
The weather looked promising with no
major rainfall expected in the state. Many people though continued to
wait for rescue to arrive in several parts of Ernakulam district and
interior Chengannur in Alappuzha district.
The death toll stands
at 370, from May 29 when Kerala got the first of the monsoon rains, with
the bulk of the fatalities being reported after August 9.
A tragedy of unprecedented proportion gripped the state after sluice gates of several rain-filled dams had to be opened.
On
Monday, helicopters started their rescue operations in places where
people still remained marooned. Several of the other helicopters
transported food and relief materials from here.
Chengannur
legislator Saji Cherian said: "We have despatched 70 rescue teams in
boats who have reached 60 places where people are still trapped. We are
confident that by Monday evening all will be rescued."
In
Ernakulam, Paravur legislator V.D. Sateeshan said while a huge majority
of those stranded have been rescued, at least 1,500 are still trapped in
very remote areas. Accessibility is the biggest problem.
"We are sending individual rescue teams to these places and hopefully we will be able to save them," said Sateeshan.
Some
people trapped in water-logged Kuttanadu in Alappuzha had refused to
board the rescue boats. A lot of persuasion was required from the police
teams to bring them to relief camps.
Congress leader P.C.
Vishnunath told the media in Chengannur: "Bio-toilets have to be set up.
In many camps they are overflowing. Engaging in basic needs has become a
problem."
Waters at the Cochin International Airport also
receded on Monday. The airport was shut since August 15, after water
entered the operational area. Authorities have started the cleaning up
process.
On Monday, small aircrafts started operating from the Cochin Naval Airbase.
Rains
in the catchment areas of the big dams in Idukki district have also
subsided. The outflow of water from both the Mullaperiyar and Idukki
dams have been reduced.
As a result, the water flow into the
Periyar and its tributaries that flow through Ernakulam and Thrissur has
come down considerably.
The railways started operations in the Kottayam sector and also to other sectors to Shornur.
The
Kerala State Road Transport Corporation also began operations from many
depots and it was expected to be fully functional in a day or two.
Kerala
faced the heaviest rains and consequent floods and destruction since
1924, and the state government estimates the loss to be around Rs 19,500
crore.
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