THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Revenue Department’s control room on monsoon-related calamities has pegged the death toll so far this Southwest monsoon season at 116, even as the Met Department warned that heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to continue till Monday.
According to the control room, nine more deaths have been reported over the past 24 hours. Ten persons have been reported missing since the onset of monsoon on May 29. There is disparity in the death toll data released by various agencies. According to the statistics reported by the State Disaster Management Authority to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the death toll till 3 pm on Thursday stood at 110.
But government officers say that not all of these deaths are due to notified disasters, but are indirectly related to them. At present, 564 relief camps are operational in the state. In all, they currently house 25,469 families. Alappuzha district has the highest number of families relocated to relief camps.
According to the latest figures, crop loss has been reported in 15,619.42 hectares. The loss has been estimated at `200 crore. As many as 391 houses have been destroyed in the heavy rain and flood, and 10,316 damaged, according to the Revenue Department.
PMO instructs MHA to take urgent action
The Prime Minister’s Office has instructed the Union Home Affairs Ministry to take urgent action on the state’s representation on the rain-related havoc, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s office said on Thursday. The all-party delegation which met Prime Minister Narendra Modi had submitted a representation in this regard. The PMO has asked the MHA to take necessary action at the earliest. As per the representation, 965 villages have been affected by rain-related calamities.
Two-year-old drowns in flood
Alappuzha: A two-year-old girl drowned in flood water at Edathua near here on Thursday. The deceased has been identified as Angel, daughter of Jaimon Joseph, ward 13, Edathua. The incident took place at 6 pm. The police said the child moved to the water-logged area near their house and drowned in the evening. She is survived by mother Beena and sister Ann. The funeral will be held at Lourd Matha Church at Pacha-Chekkidikad at 2 pm on Friday.
NGOs come forward to help flood victims
Kochi: With Kerala witnessing one of the most extreme floods of the decade, various NGOs in Kochi have come up with measures to help the inhabitants at the relief centres. City-based Seddac Charitable Society, in association with NASSCOM, is organising a collection campaign across Kerala to help the flood victims. The list collection points have been uploaded to the official Facebook page of Seddac Charitable Society.
“The items that are required include blankets, tarpaulin, ropes, bedsheets, candles, matchboxes, backpacks, toiletries, sanitary pads, dress, slippers, bucket, mugs, solar lights, umbrella (should be in good condition so that others can use), rice, pulses, etc,” said the society. Details: 0484-2415140. Meanwhile, the Foundation For Annam Charity Ease (FACE), another NGO, distributed food to the residents of Kammattipadam on Thursday.
2 senior citizens go missing
Kochi: The havoc caused by the unrelenting rains, which have been battering the state, on Thursday resulted in two elderly persons going missing in the Periyar and a canal at Piravom, respectively. Sankaran Nair,75 of Mariyil Veedu, Onakkur and Ayyappan, 79 of Thykkoottathil, Karippayi Kadavu, Chendamangalam are the missing duo, officers said. Their bodies are yet to be located, police said.