Hindustantimes: Union Minister K J Alphons said that 11 out of Kerala’s 14 districts have been inundated by floods and teams of armed forces, sent by the Centre, have been helping the state government tackle the situation over the last three days even as the rain eased up a bit on Saturday after three days of heavy downpour.
Alphons, who hails from the state, also said that National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel have also been sent and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the situation
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department announced a red alert for Idukki and Wayanad till August 14 and amber alert till August 15. Kannur has been put on red alert till August 13 and amber alert till August 15. At least 30 people were killed, nearly 54,000 left homeless while dams and rivers overflowed, parts of highways collapsed, and homes were swept away in severe flooding across the state as the heavy downpour continued for the third day on Friday.
The flooding became more intense after all five gates of the Idukki dam were opened and shutters of more than two dozen dams were lifted, making the Periyar river swell further. The rains had already increased its flow. Almost all 40-odd rivers in the state are in spate, officials said.