The Centre has deployed all three wings of the Armed forces in a massive rescue operation
People travel in a truck to a safer place, as floodwaters ravaged the National Highway 47 in Ernakulam district of Kochi. Pic/PTI
Even as the deadly deluge in Kerala continued to take a toll of life and property across the state – with the number of deaths rising to 87 on Thursday – the Centre has deployed all three wings of the Armed forces in a massive rescue operation that is currently underway.
Till Thursday afternoon, 20 fresh deaths – mostly from Malappuram, Kozhikode, Palakkad and Thrissur – were added to the toll that has been rising since August 8. With continuous rain forecast till Saturday, the Centre sanctioned more men and materials, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the media, after a conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other central leaders.
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"By noon, 10 helicopters joined the existing fleet of 10 already involved in the massive rescue operation in our state. Apart from this, the Indian Air Force and Navy have sent four helicopters each. They will be joined by 40 more teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and a team of marine commandos, who will reach soon and begin their work," Vijayan said.
"Residents in Alwaye, Chalakudy and parts of Ernakulam should listen to the people engaged in rescue operations as things can get worse during the day as the Periyar river is going to carry more water. As a result, those living in the area up to one kilometre on either side of Periyar and its tributaries in these places should be on high alert," he said.
'Share data of rain in catchment area'
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Thursday alleged that his state officials were not being permitted to gauge the rainfall in the catchment area of Mullaperiyar dam in Kerala and urged the neighbouring state to share rainfall data on a real-time basis. "I would like to point out that Kerala is not permitting our officials to gauge the rainfall in the dam's catchment area, compelling them to assess the inflow only on the basis of actual rise in the dam water level," Palaniswami said in a letter to his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan.
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