Operation Karuna: 54,800 people rescued from the Kerala floods

Over 82,000 people have been displaced in Kerala due to the merciless floods that have taken over the State in the past nine days. As of Friday night, 164 were killed between August 8 and 17, and more than 3,14,000 people have been shifted to 2094 relief camps.

On Friday Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Thiruvananthapuram, after attending the funeral of the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, to conduct an aerial survey of the State on Saturday.

The Govt hospital of Ernakulam, which is operating the helpline and coordinating the flow of medicines, is out of medicines, though many have made contributions. They said the want is of medicines as contribution, not money. Dr Cyril, a resident medical officer, said that the hospital has bought over ₹15 lakh worth medicine with their own funds.

Since Wednesday, the IAF has flown scores of sorties, hoisting more than 314 forlorn civilians from inundated neighbourhoods to relatively high-ground. INS Garuda, the naval air station in Kochi, is the staging point for the ongoing air rescue effort code-named “Operation Karuna”.

The IAF station at Shangumugham here is the transit airbase for the forward supply of relief material, rescue equipment and defence personnel to Kochi.

Meanwhile, the rail traffic along the Ernakulam-Kottayam and the Palakkad to Coimbatore and Shoranur have been restored. Passenger train services have been restored in Ernakulam-Kottayam route at 4 PM on Saturday. The trains will stop in all stations en route. A relief train that began service from Angamaly will soon be reaching Ernakulam, bringing people affected by flooding. Track inspection is still going on.

About 54800 people have been rescued from various flood-affected areas in Ernakulam district, says an official update. They were rescued using boats, big and small, as well as helicopters. With water levels receding somewhat in the afternoon, many were able to move out by the road.

Delhi government to open collection centres at all SDM offices from tomorrow, says Deputy CM Manish Sisodia. He asks Delhiites to donate clothes, blankets and bed sheets and to donate to the Kerala CM's relief fund