Kerala flood situation turns grim, here is how you can help

Rain fury continued unabated in Kerala, where 47 people have died so far, with the Cochin international airport announced shut till Saturday after water gushed inside the airport area and train services remained suspended in many parts of the state.

A red alert has been sounded in 12 of the 14 districts. As Kerala reels under flood, CM Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday took to Twitter to urge everyone to help those affected in flood by making contributions to the relief fund.

"Here's how you can help those affected by the unprecedented floods in Kerala. Now you can make donations online to Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund through the site,  https://donation.cmdrf.kerala.gov.in/   #KeralaFloods #StandWithKerala," Vijayan posted on Twitter attaching account details.

Here's how you can help those affected by the unprecedented floods in Kerala. Now you can make donations online to Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund through the site, https://t.co/OFHTHlZ9by #KeralaFloods #StandWithKerala. pic.twitter.com/XNlBKqdCUT

— CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) August 14, 2018

So here are the details to donate:

Name of Donee: Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund 

Account number : 67319948232 

Bank: State Bank of India 

Branch: City branch, Thiruvananthapuram

IFSC: SBIN0070028

PAN detail: AAAGD0584M

SWIFT CODE: SBININBBT08

Earlier on Wednesday, Vijayan held an emergency meeting. "We're witnessing something that has never happened before in the history of Kerala. Almost all dams are opened. Most of our water treatment plants are submerged, motors are damaged. We're keeping all this in mind but our priority is to get drinking water to the people," the Chief Minister said after the meeting. 

"All the officials are involved in the rescue & relief operations. The rain will continue for the next four days too & we all need to be careful. The neighboring states have been helping us & we need their help in the future too," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke to Vijayan and assured all the help from the Centre. Four teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been airlifted from Pune Airport to Kerala for rescue operations. They have full-wave rectified (FWR) equipment and communication equipment with them, news agency ANI reported. 

Operations at the Cochin airport have been suspended till August 18 and flights were being diverted to various airports. 

Airlines including IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet have announced the suspension of their operations to Kochi.

A landslide between Kuzhithurai and Eraniel stations has delayed four trains - Guruvayur-Chennai Egmore express, Kanyakumari-Mumbai CSMT express, Dibugarh-Kanyakumari Vivek Express and Gandhidham-Tirunelveli Humsafar Express, railway sources said.

A few passenger trains have been partially hit and rail traffic on Kollam-Punalur-Sengottai section has been suspended due to adverse weather conditions.

On Thiruvananhtapuram-Thrissur section, trains will be delayed due to speed restrictions due to rise in water levels in rivers and lakes.

The engineering department is continuously monitoring the safety of bridges, railways said.

According to weathermen, heavy rainfall accompanied by gusty winds with speed reaching 60 kmph, is expected in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kozhikode districts.

From Kasaragod in the north to Thiruvananthapuram in the south, all rivers are in spate, shutters of several dams, including Mullaperiyar, have been opened.

In the high-range Idukki district, an 85-year-old woman was killed in Elakkal and a 52-year-old woman died in Keerithode when mounds of earth fell on their homes.

A man from Tamil Nadu was killed last evening when earth fell on a hotel he was working in Munnar while six other employees were rescued.

In a similar incident, a couple and their six-year-old son were killed when earth fell on their house at Kondotty in Malappuram district early today.

A fisherman was electrocuted in Thrissur after he came in contact with a live electric wire.

Tourist hill stations including Athirappally, Ponmudi and Munnar closed and restrictions put in place for tourists.

Periyar, Chalakkidy Puzha and Pampa rivers were overflowing in central Kerala, while the water level in Killiyar, Karamanayar, Vamanapuram rivers and Parvathyputhanar canal in Thiruvananthapuram district are steadily rising.

Incessant rains and strong winds have battered the high ranges of Thiruvananthapuram, including Nedumangadu, Bonacaud and Neyyattinkara area, since last evening.

The low-lying areas of the capital city including Gowreesapattom and Kannanmoola are under water, hitting hard normal life.

At least 18 families have been stranded in Gowreesapattom here as the area remained inundated.

A joint team of police and fire service personnel is trying to rescue them, many of whom have sought refuge on the roof of two-storey buildings.

(With agency inputs)