Death toll rises to 67 in Kerala floods, state’s worst flooding in 94 years – 35 dams opened for first time in history – Red alerts issued in 12 districts

Desdemona Despair

15 August 2018 (Livemint) – Kerala today shut the Kochi airport till Saturday as rains returned to wreak more havoc in the state. Eighteen people have been killed so far today, and thousands others are being evacuated from the fresh Kerala floods. The state has opened 35 of its dams, a first in history. Kerala was just limping back to normalcy after the worst floods since 1924 killed 39 over the last week. So far, more than 1 lakh people have been rescued in the state.

“Kochi Airport operations temporarily suspended till 18th Saturday 2pm since the inflow of water is still on a raising trend. We are working hard to drain out the storm water,” Cochin International Airport Ltd said in a notice on its website.

Not just the Kochi airport, the city too came under water due to Kerala floods today. […]

The death toll in the Kerala floods has risen to 67, with at 18 deaths being reported today. A person died in a Munnar lodge collapse. A 70-year-old woman was electrocuted near Pathanamthitta as her house was submerged. Landslides claimed lives in Malappuram too. In Thiruvananthapuram district, a 70-year-old man died after the wall of his house collapsed. Two landslides occurred in Idukki late evening, killing five people. Four persons were reported missing in the landslips. […]

Amid floods across Kerala, CM Pinarayi Vijayan tweeted that 35 reservoirs in the state are now releasing water, even as several districts of the state are facing floods. “A red alert has been issued for Ernakulam, Idukki, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, Kasargod, Thrissur, Kottayam, Alappuzha, and Pathanamthitta districts.” [more]

Kerala floods LIVE: Death toll rises to 67, Tamil Nadu agrees to lower Mullaperiyar Dam’s water level

KOCHI, India, 15 August 2018 (PTI) – Heavy rains again hit Kerala on Wednesday killing four more people and taking the death toll to 45 since August 8.

It has been raining heavily in several parts of the state since Tuesday evening. The authorities were forced to open 33 dams across Kerala.

Those reported dead on Wednesday were a couple in Malappuram who were crushed after their house crumbled. Their six-year-old child is missing.

A person died in a Munnar lodge as it crashed. A 70-year-old woman in Ranni near Pathanamthitta was electrocuted as her house was submerged.

The Idukki dam floodgates were reopened late on Tuesday as the water level in the Periyar river and its tributaries flowing through Ernakulam and Thrissur districts rose menacingly.

Following flooding in and around the Cochin International Airport, all flights were cancelled till 18 August 2018.

The decision to suspend the operations was taken after shutters of the Idamalayar and Cheruthoni dams, part of Idukki reservoir, were opened last evening to release excess water. […]

Torrential rains, overflowing rivers and a series of landslides have claimed 40 lives in Kerala. The Met has forecast more rains till Saturday.

Authorities are maintaining a close vigil especially in Idukki district as the shutters of the Mullaperiyar dam were also opened at 2.35 am after its water-level crossed 140 feet.

People living in and around the dam were evacuated late on Tuesday. Leaves of all revenue department officials have been cancelled, authorities said.

With increased water flow into the Idamalayar and Idukki dams in Kerala late Tuesday night due to incessant rains, authorities began to evacuate about 5,000 persons living in and around the two reservoirs, a police official said. […]

According to authorities, water level in Mullaperiyar dam was 138 feet on Tuesday night. If its shutters are opened, the water will flow to the Idukki dam, where water level stands at 2,397.42 feet.

Rains in Idukki yet again on Tuesday increased water inflow into the Idukki dam, forcing authorities in the night to open two of the five sluices shut down on Monday.

The Idukki dam was discharging 7.50 lakh litres of water per second, causing worry to authorities as more water in the Periyar river and its tributaries could lead to flooding of parts of Ernakulam and Thrissur districts, as was seen in the past week.

Heavy rains lashed Kerala’s Kozhikode, Malappuram and Wayanad districts, triggering fresh landslides and adding to the woes of a state battling the worst flooding in 94 years. […]

Unprecedented rains and flooding – the worst since 1924 – have left at least 40 people dead and thousands in relief camps. Many moaned that they had lost virtually all their possessions after surging waters swept away whatever they possessed. […]

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the media that Kerala was passing through one of its worst times and urged the people to cooperate with the government in bringing relief to the suffering. […]

Rains which started on August 8 are said to have caused the worst damage to Kerala since 1924. Over 50,000 people are in relief camps and the damages to crops and properties is estimated to be over Rs 8,000 crore. [more]

Kerala floods: Kochi airport shut till August 18; red alert issued