The death toll due to the devastating rains and floods in Kerala since August 8 has increased to 293 while 15 people are still missing, according to the latest figures released by the government.
The hilly district of Idukki, home to the largest arch dam in Asia and whose shutters were opened after 26 years on August 9, bore the brunt of the flood fury with the maximum number of deaths. Latest figures released by the Disaster Management State Control Room show that 51 people have lost their lives and 10 are still reported to be missing in Idukki.
While Thrissur has reported 43 deaths, Ernakulam has recorded 38 deaths. Alappuzha has registered 34 deaths. Malappuram, on the other hand, has recorded 30 deaths. Over 8.69 lakh people are still residing in 2,287 relief camps.
Slow recovery
The rain-battered state is slowly limping back to normalcy. On Saturday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan emphasised on sanitation activities to prevent the outbreak of water-borne diseases and said 1,31,683 houses, about 31 per cent of the total number of affected houses, have been cleaned and is ready for occupancy. Taking to Twitter, the CM also said that electricity has also been restored for 23.36 lakh connections of the 25.6 lakh disrupted. At least 14,314 transformers (out of 16,158 affected) have resumed functioning.
Allocation of funds
The CM announced that the district collectors have been given the authority to withdraw the share from the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), which amounts to Rs 3,800 per family. A total of Rs 242.73 crore has also been earmarked from the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) to disburse the remaining amount.
As part of relief measures, the state government has decided to give Rs 10,000 to 3,91,494 families in 14 districts who have been affected by the floods. It said the CMDRF will contribute Rs 6,200 to this sum and the SDMA will share the remaining Rs 3,800.
People segregate flood relief material received at a distribution centre, in Kochi on Wednesday. (PTI)
A government release issued late on Friday night said that the flood-hit areas would be recorded using a mobile application, with the help of voluntary organisations and local bodies, following which the compensation would be distributed. The state government is also mulling interest-free loans of upto Rs 10 lakh for the flood-affected small scale industries. Earlier, a moratorium was declared for agriculture loans by the government.
UAE aid row
Amid efforts to bring the state back to normalcy, a row has erupted between political parties over the UAE’s alleged offer of Rs 700 crore to the flood-ravaged state. On August 21, while addressing the media, Vijayan had said, “The UAE government is willing to help us. The crown prince, His Highness Shaikh Mohammed Bin Al Nahim, has spoken to our PM yesterday (August 20). UAE has decided to help Kerala with $100 million. These facts were communicated to Keralite M A Yousaff Ali when he met Shaikh Mohammed Bin Al Nahim today to convey Eid wishes.”
However, the following day, the Centre made it clear that India would not take aid from foreign governments for Kerala flood relief. It has been India’s policy since the 2004 tsunami to use domestic funds for rehabilitation after natural disasters
Judges and lawyers prepare relief material for flood affected people at the Kerala High Court premises in Kochi. (AP)
The relief aid issue flared up after UAE Ambassador Ahmed Albanna on Thursday told The Indian Express that was no official announcement by the UAE on any specific amount as financial aid. “The assessment of relief needed for the flood and aftermath is ongoing. Announcing any specific amount as financial aid, I don’t think it is final, since it is still ongoing,” Albanna said. Asked if he meant that the UAE had not announced Rs 700 crore in aid, he said: “Yes, that is correct. It is not yet final. It has not been announced.”
However, Vijayan Friday remained firm on his claim and insisted that the Crown Prince had indeed made the offer in a phone call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “There is no ambiguity on UAE aid. As I told you before, aid was discussed between the UAE Crown Prince and PM. Both these rulers themselves intimated this to the world. I hope the Centre will accept it. As for the Rs 700 crore figure, I had made it clear that the information came from businessman MA Yusuf Ali,” CM Vijayan said while addressing a press conference on Friday.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during a visit to a relief camp at Kozhencherry, in Pathanamthitta on Thursday. (AP)Migrant workers leave for home
Scores of migrant workers from the north and northeastern India have left Kerala since the devastating floods. Two special trains have ferried migrants to the northeastern regions in the last 10 days, but many others are still waiting to leave. The labour department accommodated stranded migrants in relief camps in many parts of Kerala along with local residents. As local residents are shifting back to their houses and camps are being shut, some migrant workers are leaving for their home states. Read full story.
Volunteers serve food to flood affected people at a relief camp set up inside a school in Kochi. (AP)Data retrieval
The government has planned to retrieve lost certificates and documents of the people from the various database of various departments in the state. The information technology and other departments have already begun the process of developing a software for the purpose. Adalats would also be held from the first week of September to facilitate recovery of the documents.
A man lights lamps to pay tribute to Kerala flood victims, in Amritsar on Tuesday. (PTI)Fishermen turn heroes
Several fishermen have played a decisive role in rescuing people from the disaster hit-areas. Braving inclement weather and treacherous waters, hundreds of fishermen have assisted in the rescue of thousands of people marooned across the affected areas. Their grit and experience in turbulent waters helped facilitate the rescue operations carried out by security forces and NDRF in areas where airlifting was not even feasible or just not available. The fishermen reached out to the worst-affected areas, spending their own money to transport their mechanised boats and fuel in trucks. Incidentally, just a few months ago these same fishermen were reeling from the aftershocks of the Ockhi cyclone and are still themselves recovering.
Volunteers rescue stranded people in a boat from a flooded area in Chengannur in Kerala. (AP)Commendable work by Army, Navy
The role played by the Army and Navy in the unprecedented deluge is praiseworthy. Besides the government and state police department, the defence and para-military forces have worked hand-in-hand in the rescue operations. “All the Defence Forces operated hand in hand with the Disaster Management Control Rooms and it was this coordination that helped in saving lives and in making this rescue operations successful,” Kerala Police chief Loknath Behera had said on Thursday.
Indian Navy supplies Food and materials to the flood affected people of Chengannur on Wednesday. (PTI)
As a mark of gesture, a ‘thanks’ note was painted on the roof-top of the house from where the Naval ALH piloted by Commander Vijay Varma had rescued two women from a flood-hit area on August 17.
After carrying out extensive relief operations in Kannur district, the CRPF has shifted their focus to rehabilitating the flood affected people in some parts of Thrissur district. A top CRPF official said a base camp has been established at Kerala Police Academy in Thrissur on August 22 and liaised with district administration for effective rehabilitation work. “As the water level receded in flood affected areas we shifted our attention to rehabilitation work,” the official said.
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