August 18
The incessant rains and floods continued to wreak havoc in Kerala with the death toll due to the worst flooding in nearly a century crossing 170, with thousands missing.
Pathanamthitta district in central Kerala continued to be the worst affected in the last 24 hours as thousands of people are trapped in their homes in the towns of Ranni, Aranmula and Kozhencherry.
The Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan addressing Media on Friday evening said 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.
He told the media that 82,442 people had been rescued on Friday, primarily with the help of Navy and fisherfolks’ boats.
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 as per official figures.
The Kerala CM also confirmed that 324 people had died in the floods since the onset of South West Monsoon on May 29.
The official figures say that 164 have died across the 14 districts in the massive floods in the last days.