FLOOD-HIT KERALA BRACES FOR MORE RAIN, DEATH TOLL RISES TO 35

The rain-battered Kerala is bracing for another spell of rain. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded a yellow alert across 11 districts from Wednesday even as the death toll from flash flood and landslides in the state rose to 35. The yellow alert indicates severely bad weather that could change for the worse and cause disruptions in the day-to-day activities. It was issued as water levels rose sharply in many reservoirs due to heavy rains in catchment areas. A red alert was issued to 10 dams in the state and shutters of Kakki dam in Pathanamthitta were opened.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan chaired an emergency meeting on Monday to review the situation and constituted an expert committee to regulate release of water from some of the dams.

The IMD said the state is likely to receive fairly widespread rainfall with isolated heavy downpour for three to four days starting Wednesday. The government has opened more relief camps and advised people not to return to their damaged homes. The state received heavy rainfall on Friday and Saturday, which triggered flash floods and landslides in Kottayam and Idukki districts.

A rescue operation was on in one of the worst-hit areas--Kokkayar in Idukki district--for two missing people. A rescue team retrieved the body of a three-year-old child from debris there on Monday. Among eight dead in Kokkayar, five were children. In Kottayam district, the toll from rain-related mishaps rose to 14. Hindustan Times, 18 Oct, 2021