Watch: Difficult rescue missions give a glimpse of the challenges in Kerala
Actor Parvathy Thirovothu appealed to people to send relief materials to the Regional Sports Centre in Kochi as provisions are running short.
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Kerala is reeling under severe conditions due to heavy rain and floods since August 8. At least 357 people have died in rain-related incidents in the state since May. The Centre has announced a relief package of Rs 500 crore for the state, and massive relief operations by the Indian Army, the Navy, the National Disaster Response Force, the State Disaster Response Force and local groups are under way.
There has also been an outpouring of support for the victims on social media, which has been donating for flood relief.
Here is a compilation of videos on the floods:
CNN News18 Senior Editor Shreya Dhoundial tweeted a video of a fisherman in Vengara town, Jaisal KP, lying face down in water so that women and children could use his back as a step to get into a rescue boat. “600 fishermen helping out in Kerala floods are the unsung heroes,” she said.
Putting his back into it. Quiet literally. Jaisal KP a fisherman in Vengara puts himself in water so women and children can use his back as a step into the boat. 600 fisherman helping out in #KeralaFloods the unsung heroes. #Salute pic.twitter.com/DXo1CbKIs2
— Shreya Dhoundial (@shreyadhoundial) August 19, 2018
NDTV Executive Editor Uma Sudhir tweeted a video of a new tunnel built in the Western Ghats, which is not yet operational. However, the landslides around it, in Kudiran area in Thrissur district, are exposing commuters to high risk.
New tunnels for vehicular traffic built cutting into mountain inside forest that's tip of Western Ghats is not yet operational but it's around it that landslides are happening in Kudiran making travel here highly risky; one person died here, buried under mud #keralafloods @ndtv pic.twitter.com/1hHj4126iC
— Uma Sudhir (@umasudhir) August 18, 2018
Sudhir also said that two landslips in another part of Kudiran have trapped 20 vehicles between them. “National Disaster Response Force rescue teams from Coimbatore are trying to reach Chalakudy [which is near Kudiran] where people are waiting to be rescued,” she tweeted, adding that the road needs to be cleared soon.
A fresh landslip at #Kudiran has caused fresh blocks on road ... between two landslips about 20 vehicles are stuck; NDRF rescue teams from Coimbatore trying to reach #Chalakudi where people are waiting to be rescued... need the road cleared to go & save lives @ndtv #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/lQSnmPax0n
— Uma Sudhir (@umasudhir) August 18, 2018
The Indian Coast Guard tweeted a video of its personnel swimming across a flooded area near Puthukulangara Devi Temple in Othera village in Pathanamthitta district to rescue people marooned at the shrine.
#KeralaFloods2018 #OPRAHAT @IndiaCoastGuard .The Goal is Rescue-and is the major focus for the day @IndiaCoastGuard Team making their way to reach out marooned people at #Puthukkulangara Devi Temple area and rescue them to safety-regardless @DefenceMinIndia @CMOKerala @DG_PIB . pic.twitter.com/DRtE7KVuYK
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) August 18, 2018
Shreya Dhoundial tweeted a video of an Indian Navy helicopter landing on a narrow rooftop to rescue people. However, the location of the video is not known.
Yup. We can land just about anywhere. That's a @indiannavy Seaking 42B on a narrow rooftop evacuating people in #KeralaFlood The story gets even more amazing. (See my next tweet) pic.twitter.com/3GPg2JC0ra
— Shreya Dhoundial (@shreyadhoundial) August 18, 2018
She also tweeted a video from a helicopter, showing the massive flooding in Chalakudy town below. Chalakudy is one of the worst-affected regions and several NDRF teams are in the town for rescue operations.
And this is what Chalakudi look from above. #KeralaFloods Video Crtsy @indiannavy pic.twitter.com/eQ5qmm4m6M
— Shreya Dhoundial (@shreyadhoundial) August 18, 2018
NDTV Kerala Bureau Chief Sneha Koshy’s video showed Indian Air Force choppers landing to refill with relief materials in Kochi before taking off again. “Amidst all the despair, I saw – no felt – this amazing moment,” she tweeted.
Amidst all the despair, I saw -no felt - this amazing moment of IAF choppers landing, re-fill with relief materials, which are put together by volunteers, and take off. Hope!@ndtv #keralafloods #Angamaly pic.twitter.com/0UOJwDMvCr
— Sneha Koshy (@SnehaMKoshy) August 18, 2018
Journalist Arun Dev recorded a video of the main road leading to Mukkodlu, a village on a hilltop in Kodagu district of Karnataka, where at least 70 people are still trapped. Dev said two teams of the Indian Army went up to the hilltop trekking, because the main road has been damaged. They have rescued around 230 people.
This is the main road leading to Mukkodlu, a village on a hilltop, where hundreds people were feared trapped. As per the latest reports the army has been able to rescue more than 200 people in today's operations. #kodaguflood @TheQuint pic.twitter.com/Gn7szYACG8
— Arun Dev (@ArunDev1) August 18, 2018
The News Minute Editor-in-Chief Dhanya Rajendran tweeted an appeal by actor Parvathy Thirovothu, from the Regional Sports Centre in Kochi, which has been receiving flood relief items for the last seven days. This material is being sent out to almost 800 sub-centres, Thirovothu said. She appealed to people from other cities, like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad, to find a collection centre to send items to Kochi – pointing out that the Centre was running short of items.
A video appeal by @parvatweets on what relief material is needed at collection centres across India. pic.twitter.com/3v8Ri2pE0U
— Dhanya Rajendran (@dhanyarajendran) August 19, 2018
Wing Commander Prasanth of the Garud Special Force of the Indian Air Force rescued a toddler from a rooftop in the flood-hit town of Alappuzha on Sunday.