Monsoon floods wreak havoc on India, death toll up
August 12, 2019
Parts of southern and western India have been hit hard by heavy torrential rain. The resulting floods and landslides have claimed many lives and forced hundreds of thousands of people to take shelter in relief camps.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Indian Navy
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The death toll from a fresh spell of monsoon-driven floods in India has jumped to 190 and affected more than a million residents, officials said on Monday.
Heavy rain and landslides have also forced hundreds of thousands of people in southern and western India to take shelter in relief camps, while train services were canceled in several flood-hit areas.
Officials warned that fuel shortages were widespread in districts that were cut off from larger cities.
The states of Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat were the worst-hit, but others like Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Andhra Pradesh have also reported flooding.
Teams from the disaster response force, army, navy and air force have been deployed for rescue and relief operationsImage: Getty Images/AFP/U. Deolekar
Authorities said rescue teams from the disaster response force, army, navy and air force were deployed in those states for rescue and relief operations.
In the state of Kerala alone, at least 76 people were killed in rain-related incidents. "Several houses are still covered under 10-12 feet (3-3.6 meters) of deep mud. This is hampering rescue work," Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.
"The flood situation remains grim and agencies are on high alert in six districts. Many deaths have been reported in rain-triggered landslides in Wayanad and Malappuram districts," a government official in Kerala said.
Deforestation, poor urban planning and increased urbanization contribute to the rise in the intensity of the floodsImage: picture-alliance/AP
Immense destruction
Authorities remain worried that rescue operations would be hit by thunderstorms and rainfall predicted in some parts of Kerala.
In neighboring Karnataka state, several structures at world heritage site Hampi, an ancient town, were flooded.
India's monsoon season lasts from June to September. It sees heavy rains which refill the country's water reservoirs and are vital for agriculture, but cause immense destruction and loss of life.
Dozens died in floods in India, particularly in the eastern states of Bihar and Assam, last month, with the inundation causing heavy losses to farms, homes and infrastructure.
Experts point to rising deforestation, poor urban planning and increased urbanization as the reasons behind the rise in the intensity of the floods.
India's main opposition Congress party called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide relief packages.
India's Kerala state witnesses worst floods in century
Hundreds of troops have been called in to help rescue people stranded by monsoon flooding in India's southern state of Kerala . More than 300 people have died and tens of thousands have sought refuge in relief camps.
Image: picture-alliance
Coming to the rescue
A man rescues a drowning man as monsoon rains cause flash floods and landslides in the southern Indian state of Kerala. More than 200,000 people have been forced to take shelter in relief camps.
Image: Reuters//Sivaram V
Flooded streets
Witnesses say that looking down on towns in flooded Kerala is like looking down on a sea dotted with houses and cars in muddy flood waters. Rescue teams, including military personnel, have stepped up efforts to evacuate thousands of people trapped by the waters.
Image: picture-alliance
Floodgates opened
People are being evacuated after authorities opened the gates of Idamalayar, Cheruthoni and Mullaperiyar dams to prevent potentially disastrous breaches. Authorities have taken the unprecedented step of opening the floodgates of 80 water reservoirs so far.
Image: Reuters//Sivaram V
Massive rescue operation
Hundreds of troops have led a desperate operation to rescue families trapped by rising floods. Helicopters have been used to airlift stranded victims from rooftops and to drop food and water packages in the worst-affected areas.
Image: Reuters//Sivaram V
Landslides follow the rain
Heavy rains over the past eight days triggered flooding, landslides and home and bridge collapses, severely disrupting air and train services in Kerala state, a popular tourist destination. Landslides have also contributed to the death toll.
Image: Getty Images/AFP
Monsoon fury
Monsoon rains kill hundreds of people every year in India. The season runs from June to September. Kerala has been hit with 37 percent more rainfall than normal since the beginning of this monsoon, the Meteorological Department said.
Image: IANS
Brief respite from rains
With heavy rains stopping after a week, rescuers moved quickly to take people marooned by floods to 1,500 state-run camps. With the weather department expecting rains to continue into the weekend, the state remains on high alert.
