Rescue Ops On War-Footing In Kerala, Navy Rushes All Resources

Kochi:  Efforts to rescue people stranded in their homes in several parts of Kerala are on war-footing with all the three defence forces, the NDRF and private groups working all through the night. The Southern Naval Command has suspended all training activities and deployed all its available resources for the rescue operations in the flood-hit state. People were air-lifted by the Air Force from several flooded areas late last night. 

The public transport system has collapsed in many parts as Kerala grapples with what has turned out to be the state's worst monsoon in almost a century. A day after the airport at Kochi stopped operations for three days, the Kochi metro services suspended its operations this morning due to flooding of its yard. On Wednesday alone, 25 more people died due to floods and landslides, taking the number of dead to 67. A rainfall red alert has been issued across Kerala.

The public transport system collapsed in many parts of central Kerala. Kochi Metro officials said the services will be back once the water level in the metro yard comes down and the systems are back in good condition. Bus services to Kochi were affected after the parts of the national highways connecting the city submerged. Train services were affected due to rain, with many being delayed and cancelled.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday sent an SOS to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and his counterpart in Tamil Nadu E Palaniswami on the rising water level in the Mullaperiyar Dam.

PM Modi spoke with Mr Vijayan again this morning. "We discussed the flood situation in the state. Have asked Defence Ministry to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. Praying for the safety and well-being of the people of Kerala," PM Modi tweeted.

Many parts of Kochi have been inundated. Aluva is one of the worst-affected areas with the famous banks of the Periyar river and the famous Shiva temple completely submerged. 
  
The airport at Kochi, the busiest in Kerala, will remain closed till Saturday after the runway was flooded. The Cochin International Airport Kochi is the first in the world to operate completely on solar power. Even the area around the massive solar panels has been flooded. 

Fresh landslides were reported from southern Kerala's Idukki and the northern districts of Malappuram and Kannur.

The NDRF teams set out for rescue operations overnight with their boats. The rescue teams received  a stream of distress calls from south Kerala's Pathanamthitta district, from places like Ranni, Kozhunchery and Aranmula.

The navy deployed multiple rescue and diving teams with boats in the affected areas.

Popular tourist destinations like Munnar and Ponmudi are almost cut-off because of bad roads due to landslides. Except for official vehicles, no other vehicles are allowed to enter Munnar. People have also been asked not to visit the Sabarimala hill shrine as the water level in the rain-fed Pampa river is high.

In a first, the gates of 33 dams across Kerala were opened, following incessant rain since late Tuesday.