Floods have taken a severe form in several states of the country including Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat due to continuous rains for the last few days. So far more than 70 people have died due to floods in these states. Millions of people have been affected due to the floods and thousands of people have been kept in relief camps. Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said that due to torrential rains in Maharashtra, Kerala and Karnataka in the last two days, the situation has worsened. The Meteorological Department has issued a warning of heavy rain in Gujarat, West Madhya Pradesh and East Rajasthan along with all these states in the next 24 hours. The floods in Kerala's Wayanad have caused the most devastation.
The rescue operation of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in Sangli continues in Maharashtra. People are being evacuated from flood-affected areas here. Meanwhile, a rescue team has reached Kavalappra in Malappuram, Kerala where over 30 people are feared missing after the landslide on 8 August. Rescue work is being hampered due to bad weather.
Flood-like conditions have also arisen in Maharashtra after heavy rains. Here in Kolhapur, all 14 naval teams have left for rescue operations at Shiroli village (Shirol block) near Kolhapur from 6 toads. Floods in Karnataka have worsened the situation. State Civil Defense QRT (Quick Reaction Team) has carried out relief and rescue operations during floods in Holilur village in Gadag district.
The Indian Army is reaching out to help people in these flood situations. The Indian Army has rescued around 6000 people and evacuated more than 15,000 people from flood-affected areas in Maharashtra, Karnataka, North Kerala and Tamil Nadu. 123 rescue teams have been deployed in 16 districts in 4 affected states for relief and rescue operations.
So far, about one lakh people have been evacuated to safer places in prospective states. More than two and a half thousand people trapped in the flood have been rescued. Officials said the death toll from the floods in Maharashtra reached 30. Food packets are being sent to flood-affected people in Sangli district of the state with the help of helicopters. So far 46 people have died in Kerala. More than 22 thousand people have been shifted to relief camps. Five people have died due to heavy rains in Tamil Nadu's Nilgiri district. Karnataka has so far released four and a half lakh cusecs of water from the Almati dam to provide relief to Sangli and Kolhapur districts of Maharashtra.
All the three parts of the army, including the NDRF, have been pressed into relief and rescue operations. The central government is monitoring the situation in flood affected states. The Center has assured all possible help to the aggrieved states. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is constantly monitoring the situation and giving necessary instructions to the officials.
