Rescue efforts in Kerala have been intensified as several towns and villages in the state remain flooded after days of heavy rain. More rescue teams, boats and helicopters are being deployed to evacuate residents in groups.

Even as thousands have been moved to relief camps across the state, several others are still waiting for help. In Ernakulam district’s West Kadungalloor, 88-year-old Kumaran and his 81-year-old wife Saradha have been stationed on a bed outside a shop since flood water entered their house, reported Mathrubhumi.

Saradha, whose leg is fractured, was undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital before the situation got worse. She returned home after the treatment and was scheduled to undergo an operation on her leg. Soon after she got back, the flood situation in Moolepedika area deteriorated and the couple were forced to move out of their house. The operation has now been delayed.

Saradha told the newspaper she is under a lot of pain after walking through the flood waters with a fractured leg.

In Kottayam district, 24-year-old Rejani, who was pregnant, and several others were stranded in Angel Valley in Erumeli, reported The Hindu. Angel Valley and adjoining areas were cut off from the Kanamala area as the Azhutha river, which is in spate, flowed over the bridge en route to Erumeli.

On Thursday morning, Rejani went into labour. Her husband, Aneesh, managed to contact rescue personnel, but with no immediate help in sight, local residents helped move Rejani to the grounds of the English Medium School at Angel Valley.

By Thursday afternoon, a naval helicopter with a medical team arrived at the ground due to the intervention of the district administration. Even as she was being lifted into the chopper, Rejani fell unconscious, but a doctor on-board revived her. Rejani and her family were dropped at the grounds of Amal Jyothi Engineering College in Kanjirappally, from where she was taken in an ambulance to the nearest General Hospital.

Hospital authorities said Rejani is under observation and her condition is stable.

As the number of flood-affected people have grown considerably over the past 72 hours, several people have opened their homes to those displaced by the floods, reported The Indian Express. Malayalam actor Tovino posted on Facebook that his house in Irinjalakuda in Thrissur district was open to anyone who needed to move to a safer location.

The actor also urged people in Karnataka to rush provisions to 23,000 people lodged in relief camps in Wayanad since the district is cut off from the rest of Kerala. Three main roads to the district were blocked after landslides.

Actor Vishak G offered his house in Thiruvananthapuram for those affected by the floods. State Women’s Commission member Shahida Kamal offered her house in Kollam district, while Doha-based mediaperson Sankar CG posted on Facebook that his house in Kollam was vacant and can be used by flood victims.