Kerala Floods - Aftermath and Save Sabarimala

Bart S · Post by **Bart S** » 17 Aug 2018 21:56

I don't usually refer people to Rediff, but this link has useful consolidated info and links:
http://www.rediff.com/news/special/want ... 180817.htm

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 17 Aug 2018 21:57

The death toll is total, since May due to rains., not just the recent floods after accumulations.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 17 Aug 2018 22:00

Sachin wrote:ToI Cartoon on Kerala Floods

what about - [actually the case world over - from Chennai, Venice to Houston.] In India, it is easy to flout rules and standards.
- low lands occupation for growing infrastructure
- water flow tables and storm channels
- canal systems and dam interconnections
- depth, height and flow capacity of streams
- control systems and DR policies

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 17 Aug 2018 22:10

100 death toll is single-day.
Picture is indeed horrific Nature is really hitting back, hain?

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 17 Aug 2018 22:10

From Whatsapp

Forwarding as received

Message from Navy Met Office at Kochi. The forecast is looking OK. This pressure system has already passed Kerala. What we are experiencing now is the after pull. This will continue for 48hrs more and thereafter it will subside

Once the Rains subside, it will take at least two days more for the river run-offs to reduce in power. Until the inflows weaken, dams will need to be kept open and only gradually shutdown. So to normalize matters, we may expect another week to 10 days after rains stop or becomes intermittent. Until then, we have to push ourselves ...

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 17 Aug 2018 22:14

UB,
the Weather depression in Bay of Bengal acted as suction pump and pulled the moisture from Indian Ocean. Situation became worse due to : deforestation, homes in flood done, release if waters from dams. Yes Nature hit back bit man made it worse.
Let's focus on rescue efforts.

Sachin please ban Arima for a week.

If he talks back one month ban.

Am on phone or would do it myself.

Dileep · Post by **Dileep** » 17 Aug 2018 22:45

This "man made disaster" thing is utter bullshit!! This is not a problem of a clogged storm drain flooding a basement.

Imagine three to four thousand cubic metres of water coming every second through a channel that is 200+ metres wide!! That is what we got here. Once it gets to the plains, it simply spreads all around.

If you build for the 100 year flood plan, there won't be much space to build anything in Dera Mahab Ali.

Here is the truth. The Disaster itself is not man made. Man simply mishandled it because of the chalta hai attitude. And much of the problem happened because people refused to heed to warnings, both by people and by good old nature itself.

Dileep · Post by **Dileep** » 17 Aug 2018 22:52

The comment on TN CM was on his attitude on the water level of Mullaperiyar. First of all, in accordance with the declared policy, the dam officials sat tight till the level reached the supreme court sanctioned 142 ft, and once it reached (Almost) there, they simply opened the gates, getting upto 1300 Cumecs of water to the already full Idukki. This is one major contributor to the 3-4 thousands cumecs that flowed into Kochi.

When requested by the KL PM to reduce the level to better manage the flow, he sent a letter saying "Dam is sef onlee. Level weel bee 142 onlee".

Dileep · Post by **Dileep** » 17 Aug 2018 22:55

And hey, if you planned for 100 year events, There would have been Salt Valley instead of Silicon Valley.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 17 Aug 2018 23:57

So it was blind adherence to a process set by SC. Most disasters are exacerbated by such rigidity. SC should be more circumspect in ging long bashans with their judgments which vitiate local initiative.

habal · Post by **habal** » 18 Aug 2018 00:00

SC is not downstream, so they can afford to be rigid. Some one else pays the price.

Sachin · Post by **Sachin** » 18 Aug 2018 00:12

SaiK wrote:In India, it is easy to flout rules and standards.
...
- control systems and DR policies

Very many problems for such floods are clearly due to the facts you mentioned. But yes, due to ever increasing population and very many other factors land is becoming a precious commodity (especially in states like KL). Honestly, we do not have a DR policy and even at the state level we don't have policies to deal with such situations. State forces are trying with what ever they can.

Dileep wrote:Here is the truth. The Disaster itself is not man made. Man simply mishandled it because of the chalta hai attitude. And much of the problem happened because people refused to heed to warnings, both by people and by good old nature itself.

I agree, this disaster is not man made. And this has hit a society who has been relatively safe for 40+ years (good income, no terrorism, not much L&O issues); basically a very complacent society. Such crowd, I am sure would not be able to make any notice of the warnings from the nature and plan in advance. This has really caught every one by surprise. Even the govt. officials who have 20+ years of service are not able to cope up.

On social media I see a deliberate attempt to some how make a story that Indian Armed Forces (and thus Central Govt.) have to now take over this problem 100%. Even some Kerala politicians are towing this line. This I feel, should be countered. Central Govt., Armed Forces all should help KL 100%, but KL politicians, society, media etc. just cannot "out source" this job to some one else. There is a push to out source the "rescue job" to the armed forces 100%. If the Armed forces accepts this, that would be a really stupid move (they would only get blamed).

PS: On Malayalam social media I see lots of tweets/posts which are purely political and some how "demanding" that GoI takes over the rescue job and ensure that Kerala is safe. This is often taking a "sense of entitlement" mode. This IMHO has to be countered. Talks about "Oman Sultan sending in relief materials" etc. is doing its rounds, and any one can get the drift.

nachiket · Post by **nachiket** » 18 Aug 2018 00:42

Sachin wrote: On social media I see a deliberate attempt to some how make a story that Indian Armed Forces (and thus Central Govt.) have to now take over this problem 100%. Even some Kerala politicians are towing this line. This I feel, should be countered. Central Govt., Armed Forces all should help KL 100%, but KL politicians, society, media etc. just cannot "out source" this job to some one else. There is a push to out source the "rescue job" to the armed forces 100%. If the Armed forces accepts this, that would be a really stupid move (they would only get blamed).

What you say may be true but the Armed forces will accept whatever the GoI asks them to do. If the Kerala politicians have to be held to account the voters need to do that....after the water recedes and people are safe. Right now they need all the help they can get from the Army, Navy, AF, NDRF etc.

disha · Post by **disha** » 18 Aug 2018 00:50

I am sure SC would have responded quickly and positively., only if a call was made at the right time - at midnight or particularly while court is in session siezed with a more important case on cricket.

In my extensive tour of India., I realized that there is no land scarcity or water scarcity problem. There is definitely land management and water management problem.

There were several reports including Kasturirangan committee recommendations on effective land and water management. As usual the issue was kicked down the road. And now all of it comes together in one go.

Nature did its bit, and humans made it worse. This is not just an issue in Kerala. It is everywhere. Even in good 'ol california (one should just look at the wildfires in CA) - problem exacerbated by humans.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 18 Aug 2018 01:11

Point to recognize is that next year could be a drought year - or the same or worse intensity. If I were running home/bijnej insurance I would have to raise premiums drastically, esp for anyone in 100-year flood plain - or 100-year landslide slope - which is now all of Kerala. In Yoo Ess it is hard to get insurance at all if one is in 100-year flood plain.

So the solution is to make sure that 100-year flood plain contour descends by about 2 meters by increasing drainage/absorption/exchange capacity. But even that will not prevent the stupidity that got 35 (or 80?) dams to open shutters full and coordinated to cause max rate of rise in the middle of the night. Where was the flood warning? Why were people not warned to move stuff up 5 feet or get out, before the dam gates were opened?

For this only a video of beheadings in the town square or firing squad, will bring about reform (safe to suggest: not gonna happen, the goons "responsible" are also the "government". The CM needs to go, the Heads of the agencies who should have started matching dam outflow to inflow and providing capacity for at least 2 or 3 days continuous rain - or at least send out Tweets warning that this was not being implemented due to foot-dragging, should go. In this sense the disaster was ***VERY*** human-made. If the damned dams were not there, as Nature set it up, the floods would have been far less (and the drought to follow far worse, of course, and kept the population down as well..)

The legend needs to be there:

"Back in 2018, in the NaMo Vaneedum Kalan, the administrators sat on their thumbs and then panicked, and it caused 300 deaths and complete loss for millions, so the administrators were lined up and executed by the People".

There is not even a peep in the media about this SNAFU. Why?

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 18 Aug 2018 01:13

This time it was "depression in Bay of Bangladesh". Next time it may be an actual cyclonic storm hovering off the coast of the middle of Keralastan. Yes, it **CAN** be a lot worse!

Solutions are not that far off. A few tunnels/ravines in the Western Ghats could channel overflow via irrigation canals all over western/SW TamilNadu to be absorbed into the parched ground: there is hardly any rain in TN in the SW monsoon. Connect to canals/pumping stations to get the water to Ramanathapuram Dt on southeast coast. Arid, desperately poor places.

Coimbatore region suffers from chronic water scarcity aggravated by groundwater depletion from borewell digging. A couple of years of flood runoff from eastern Kerala watershed, and TN will be totally green.This year Palakkad got a 100-year drenching+ dam flood. Hope a bit of that got absorbed.

Mullaperiyar rejerboir IIRC can easily have runoff channels directed south/southeast into dry places. Yeah, will take a bit of tunnel/canal work. The problem is sheer **NO NOTHING FROM YEAR TO YEAR** Is there a Mullaperiar Canal Project by any chance, trying to do anything of the sort? Look at the downstream map of Mullaperiyar: it runs far far north to connect to the Periyar! Ludicrous.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 18 Aug 2018 01:31

Folks JEM is in Pallakad Dt with his parents. Have them in your thoughts.
Quite a few BRF members too in Kerala.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 18 Aug 2018 01:44

Kochi airport to remain shut till 26th

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 18 Aug 2018 01:51

Hopefully road and rail will be restored by 26th though roads will be miserably pot-holed and maybe 1-lane. So far, relief-recovery IMO has been going amazingly well, given that floods were still rising until about this morning.

BTW, does anyone know good ppl working on the hydrology or whatever field that looks at the flood-drought riddle in CA or Kerala or elsewhere? Who has published forward-thinking stuff on this? I know Dr. Kalyanaraman has been calling for a National Water Grid for years, but I have never looked at this, as being too far-out. Maybe the time has come?

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 18 Aug 2018 01:56

One set of recoby a committee to restrict more development in ghats region was rejected by state govt in 2011 per msm

Hotels with political money , cash rich ej padres , rubber barons all have piled on into hilly green belts

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 18 Aug 2018 03:12

Slightly OT but not if u r interested in solving problems:
Many issues in Malloostan are similar to the mess in California - and solutions may be similar. Of course in

Here’s a suggestion for decision-makers on the California Water Commission who are now finalizing the distribution of $7.5 billion in bond money for storage projects: Look underground.
The state should give up — at last — on dated, expensive, environmentally destructive dams and instead put funds toward infrastructure and programs that would help us store more water in aquifers, where there’s plenty of room.
In fact, the vacant storage space in California’s aquifers is about three times as large as the volume of all of the state’s surface reservoirs, according to Ellen Hanak, water specialist at the Public Policy Institute of California.
Aquifer storage has been used in California for decades, but it has gotten increased attention since the state passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014. That law requires water districts to begin regulating groundwater use. It was inspired, in part, by the understanding that California’s other water storage methods — dams and Sierra snowpack— have declined. No large, river-obstructing dams have been built in California since the 1970s (partly because all the best sites are already taken), and the snowpack is dwindling as a result of climate change.
The simplest way to recharge aquifers is to flood the ground over them.
Aquifers offer more resilience than either alternative. They are often located precisely beneath the communities that consume their water, so they reduce pumping costs and promote local control. Recharging them is relatively cheap. And unlike reservoirs, aquifers aren’t subject to evaporation. By contrast, the nation’s two biggest reservoirs, Lakes Mead and Powell, annually lose about 10% of all the water flowing through the Colorado River basin, according to Ben Livneh, a hydrologist at University of Colorado at Boulder.
Aquifer storage holds particular promise for the southern San Joaquin Valley, where agricultural groundwater use is unsustainably high. Since the mid-1980s, valley farmers have annually pumped an average of 1.8 million more acre-feet of groundwater than is replaced by natural and intended replenishment. So much pumping has occurred, in fact, that in some places, aquifers have compacted and the land above them has subsided by as much as 28 feet. The threat of compaction lends urgency to recharging the aquifers: Leave large portions of them empty for extended periods and many more will contract, losing their storage capacity forever.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 18 Aug 2018 04:25

dileepO, it is arguable. you are taking extreme stand but the truth is 50:50. Let's assume, we have no people staying on the path of fury or areas where it has flooded, that is the exact data set we need to analyze. And, from there, how many days it takes to normalcy, rate of flow, etc.

Now, regarding the rate of flow you mentioned, our "man made infrastructure" did play its role - example dams held up catchments, and once reached threshold, they got to release it. so, q: who was holding it up? man/nature?

---ok, later for some other day., when you owe me a drink at your dera-mahab-ali place.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 18 Aug 2018 08:40

Meghalaya gets a lot of rain and atop that used to deforest and practice slash n burn farming but their low pop and lack of much manmade incursions into the slopes helps i think

Sachin · Post by **Sachin** » 18 Aug 2018 09:04

Looks like a political blame game has started in its all earnest.
Modi in Kerala; Left, Cong want ‘national disaster’ label
There is some confusion on whether there is some thing really defined as a "national disaster" or if it is a media coined word. But from what I can understand KL is expecting more military help and expecting central government funds. On the military help part, Def. Min has already promised more helicopters, boats and men; which is expected to start operations today. And to be frank there seems to be a demand for a "blank cheque" to be given from the central government. Looks like it is all boiling down to money. "Give us more money, dont hold us accountable or else both Congress & CPI(M) combined would start bad mouthing BJP (Central Govt.)" - seems to be what the political class and their agents in Main Stream Media seems to be saying.

Can any one share references to the National Disaster Policy? At an aam aadmi level there is a strong feeling that Armed Forces should be given 100% ownership on rescue operations. This IMHO is fundamentally wrong, as military's job is always to "Aid Civil Authorities". It is the civil authorities at the state who will have to retain the command and control. But are there incidents where Armed Forces completely took over rescue operations?

UlanBatori wrote:Hopefully road and rail will be restored by 26th though roads will be miserably pot-holed and maybe 1-lane. So far, relief-recovery IMO has been going amazingly well, given that floods were still rising until about this morning.

At present things are improving in many districts. Palakkad & Malappuram are slowly becoming normal. In Kozhikode district also water is steadly receding. In Wayanad also road conditions have improved with relief trucks etc slowly coming in from Karnataka (Mysore side). Vehicular movement is slowly picking up in Wayanad-Kozhikode-Malappuram-Palakkad-Thrissur routes. Same, is the case from the entry points in Thiruvananthapuram district side. The coastal route between Thiruvananthapuram to Ernakulam is operational. Trains are also operating on the coastal railway route between Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam.

nachiket wrote:What you say may be true but the Armed forces will accept whatever the GoI asks them to do. If the Kerala politicians have to be held to account the voters need to do that....after the water recedes and people are safe. Right now they need all the help they can get from the Army, Navy, AF, NDRF etc.

I agree with you; that Armed Forces would do its job as per instructions from GoI. But what is happening is that there is one section of society and politicians who expect all Indian Armed Forces to just land up in Kerala and do all the dirty work. The tone is that of a "sense of entitlement" which IMHO is wrong. The state machinery still has to put their best efforts.

Dileep · Post by **Dileep** » 18 Aug 2018 09:06

This notion that the flood happened due to dam opening is WRONG!! Till 16th afternoon, that was the case, but the flood generally stayed in the expected path.

What happened after 16th afternoon is that the dams were discharging water at the same rate as being receiving. They were at max capacity, so could not store more. So, the point is, the big flood that pushed water upto 7 km beyond the river happened after the flow stabilized at out=in.

I am making a map of flooded areas from the Periyar basin, and you would know. Will do in a few hours.

Let me also mention that the earth looks nice and tiny on google. Likewise, KL looks a tiny spec of land sitting stateside. I experienced this 12000km altitude vision effect during the Tsunami event myself. So, with all due respect to the respected Yak Herder, all those suggestions are almost as practicable as the space station building technology of some evil relative of his.

And about warnings.. Yes, absolutely there were warnings, but the expectation was that the water from the dam will pass in half a day. This continuous pouring of 3 to 4 thousand cubic metres water per second due to rain was never anticipated. Did people heed to warning? Most didn't, and that is the problem right now.

TN did its nasty part in to other dams. They opened Sholayar dam without much warning and flooded Peringalkuthu, resulting in flooding at Chalakkudy basin. They opened Neerar dam without warning to Idamalayar, adding to the Periyar flood. Both dams stayed above MWL till yesterday evening.

There was warning at Pamba basin also. We had the Pamba roadhead (start of Sabarimala trek) submerged on 13th, so it was very well anticipated to flood downstream. there were warnings in the morning of 16th, but people stayed put, possibly because they are quite used to minor flooding. By evening, the river started overflowing.There again, the relentless push of rain water was the real problem.

Dileep · Post by **Dileep** » 18 Aug 2018 09:31

Sachin, I don't agree with the notion of "outsourcing" or "sense of entitlement" etc. What we need are the equipment, expertise and execution f the Army.

Right now, all the police, fireforce, govt staff and public are actively conducting the rescue. Fisherfolk are helping out with their boats. All working vehicles are being used. What we desperately need is more helicopters for airlift, command and control expertise for better co-ordination and communication infra. Simply having someone with a wireless set in touch with command centre present in the fishing boat would work as a force multiplier.

What we lack now are:

1. Efficient command and co-ordination. The govt's system of co-ordination will not work. They work in the "write in file" type system. Police is no better. They know only how to "protect" the netas and "lathi charge" the demonstrators.

2. Efficient leadership: The current ministers are a bunch of "people's leaders" whose sole qualification is how well they articulate the politburo's "report" at the lower "fractions". Executive leadership is sorely missing.

3. Equipment: The boats can't reach many places, due to trees, wall, buildings etc. Helicopters are needed to save a lot of people. Communication is also a major problem.

Military can solve all these.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 18 Aug 2018 09:49

u bet singha ji.. jimble lagick onree.
----

batori ji, I was thinking the same, but it would make economic sense if these type of floods gets to be periodic and predictable.

Dileep · Post by **Dileep** » 18 Aug 2018 09:54

Just seeing news that the downstream areas of Muvattupuzha river at Thalayolaparambu is flooded.

hnair · Post by **hnair** » 18 Aug 2018 09:59

A few things from my side, that may go contrarian to BRF's reigning wisdom:

- I have no love lost for the malabar warlord, but despite having a serious health issue, which needs urgent treatment, the current CM did a decent job in co-ordinating and not losing the nerve in some harrowing occasions. All officers and even the opposition leader (in the beginning) grudgingly admit that,

- Despite rumors saying no such request was made, a formal request has already gone from CMO for treating this as a National disaster. Hoping that during Shree Modi's ongoing visit, he will announce it at Kochi.

- Dam opening went as per textbook. It was based on rigorous SOPs. The weather gods decided to teach a lesson that however careful the SOPs are, it is a different matter when they get pissed

- I had in the past fully supported TN's stance that it needs to be given Mullaperiyar water and took the stance that the dam is safe (based on inputs from my alumni sources, who routinely inspects the dam). Mullaperiyar was build by the Maharaja and they have a policy of death sentence for corruption and hence the dam, despite being made of old tech, is considered reasonably safe. The real problem dam, that is of concern to all, but only whispered around: Idamalayar Dam. Why? because the current coalition partner of LDF, Balakrishna Pillai was convicted for extreme corruption, when building that dam as former Power Minister in Karunakaran cabinet!

- The people of TN is different from CM of TN and are opening their hearts out in helping Kerala. But as Dileep rightly pointed out, the current TN CM (not the people, if anyone feels offended) has proven he is a first class douche, in not taking the repeated phone calls by Kerala CM on that fatefull day, asking for co-ordination in opening shutters. The chaiwallah who runs tea-shop outside CMO says when CM of Kerala called up the TN CM for third time since morning, he was told "he is taking his regular lunch nap". From 1:00 till 4:00 or something. Why did TN CM finaly "wake up" at 4:00? Because CM of K rang up Shree Modi and Shree Rajnath at around 4:45 or so and told them about Thiru Sleeping Beauty-avarkal of Chennai..... Apparently Shree Modi read the riot act to the Sleeping Beauty-avarkal! The CM later went to Governor and lodged a formal protest at the callousness. Even the supreme court chipped in and asked to reducing the water height, not that it was what was needed

- UB-sir, Sachin et al Please read this carefully: humble request to tone down some of the cliche rhetoric at this point! The CMDRF is audited and closely monitored by all parties in Kerala and I can vouch for that. If it goes to only to CPI-M, there will be hell to pay, politically and otherwise. I was at the white building till 2:00 PM yesterday, trying to get the credit gateways for foreign cards opened. Approvals from RBI were sought and given in record time. But thanks to rhetoric like your's lots of people took the Amazon route, trying to byepass govt. There were only three NGOs listed by Amazon, who can list what supplies they want and donors can donate them. And our of three, guess who was lurking there prominently? World Vision India..... So be careful about who gets benefited if an elected govt in India, whatever their foibles, is disparaged. I have requested (via a friend) for Amazon to shut that shyte down, yesterday itself and add Indian NGOs of repute. PM's relief fund is another option, which too reaches CMDRF, but takes a bit of time to reach the right department. So it is not cool to hear these online posts about CMDRF etc, without knowing what traps are set for donors by EJ types! Us on the ground have to work with all sides and we will have to work harder to make sure for equitable distribution!!!

- Everyone is chipping in as they can. I havnt seen SHQ or kids for two days during daytime, since they are all scrounging the town for supplies from shops and bundling them into kits for airdrop by IAF etc.

- CMO is run by an ex-IA officer from Air-artillery and his composure during the crisis was exemplery. A war-room with Revenue-secy taking command is on and it has NDRF, IA, IAF and Naval officers present 24x7

- Dileep, the issue with helicopters is range - they could not provide fuel depots for quick drops. Example, in Pathanamthitta ops, they had to keep coming back to Trivandrum airport for topping up, losing valuable on-site time. This is something of a lesson learned. Each district of India should have a helicopter mustering area for such calamities, where fuel can be dumped during contingencies

- Trivandrum had a luckier break as a city, since the major flooding was away from airport and both civvy/military planes are buzzing. And for that I think Lord Padmanabha for the umpteenth time

- The hardwork is going to start, once rescue mode is over: re-building almost 12,000 kms of roads, 200 odd bridges etc

- Swamiye Saranamayappa!!

Sachin · Post by **Sachin** » 18 Aug 2018 10:01

Dileep wrote:Sachin, I don't agree with the notion of "outsourcing" or "sense of entitlement" etc. What we need are the equipment, expertise and execution f the Army.

Some of the nefarious campaigns on social media (with the usual suspects leading the chorus) actually even pisses off any one who would symapthise with the suffering people. It is now taking a "Give me what ever I want.. or else" mode. I am sure there is much more collaboration between all the agencies concerned, KL Govt, GoI and Forces - behind closed doors. But now I see at the common man level it is back to "Modi & Naarthies v/s us" kind of stories. Which also means that many people who post in these groups are also now in safer areas and are in no immediate danger.

There has been some discussions on "completely handing the state over to the Armed Forces", but to be frank I don't even know whether such provision exists. My understanding is that a elected civilian government cannot just hand over every thing to the Army. My understanding is that Armed Forces have deployed/still deploying more equipment and more technical expert units (like MEG etc.) and doing their best. But yesterday it was a local politician crying to the TV channel - "give me n number of helicopters this night or else 50,000 people would die". There has been difficulties for helicopters to operate due to weather and the geographical conditions. And the helicopters are primarily focusing on people who need real immediate help.

Simply having someone with a wireless set in touch with command centre present in the fishing boat would work as a force multiplier.

My understanding is that this is being put to action. Police have already opened up their stores and are issuing wireless sets, but if the users don't have the proper "radio discipline" it may not be effective. I know for sure that Amateur Radio Operators are chipping in with what ever they could do. Just got off an emergency net 10 mins back. Command centres are opened up at places like Ernakulam Collectorate. Wayanad alone has four VHF base stations (and many mobiles) operated by HAMs. And from what I understand most of the traffic they handle are on "man missing" cases (mainly because mobile phones have run out of power).

I agree with all the three points you listed. Looks like the state administration, and "people's leaders" are all losing grip on the situation. Which may be the reason for all of them joining hands and pushing the buck to some one else. But honestly, I don't know even if the Armed Forces can completely reign in the situation at this moment. Do we have troops who can be brought into Kerala state in quick time? How many of more helicopters boats etc can be pulled out from their regular operational duties to move to Kerala? Again even if all this happens how much of work can they achieve quickly because they do NOT have a firm grip on the roads, rivers and social demography etc.

It is the political games now being played which is a bit worrisome.

hnair · Post by **hnair** » 18 Aug 2018 10:03

Sachin, please tone down, not the time - just got a request from someone in US that his niece and 3 month old baby are on a rooftop since day before! Such posts as yours is not helping, as much as the ones by the other side! Lots of people need to be lifted out of water

hnair · Post by **hnair** » 18 Aug 2018 10:10

Wish us luck - going in on areas where water is coming down a bit. Not going to like what we see in isolated homes, who could not send SOS because of lack of cellphone charging!

Later

Sachin · Post by **Sachin** » 18 Aug 2018 10:14

hnair wrote:Despite rumors saying no such request was made, a formal request has already gone from CMO for treating this as a National disaster. Hoping that during Shree Modi's ongoing visit, he will announce it at Kochi.

Please give some more inputs on this. Because there is another theory floating around that there is no official definition of a "national disaster", and that is more of a media coined term. The National Disaster Policy etc. does not define a "national disaster". https://ndma.gov.in - also did not have any thing on "national disaster". But for each natural calamity they have defined a policy. The disaster management policy is an elaborate document, but it also lists the roles & responsibilites of state and union governments and the defence forces.

Sachin, please tone down, not the time

Sure, I understand. It is just what I see in social media which is pissing me off. But yes, let us keep this thread for facts and information. Peace..

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 18 Aug 2018 10:48

our office has opened its matching 1:1 grant for 3 ngo - akshaya patra, habitat for humanity and oxfam when employees donate via payroll deduction. a kerala relief sub-bucket opened under the general pool which was already there for all 3. I split my contrib 50:50 among the first two.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 18 Aug 2018 11:10

habal wrote:SC is not downstream, so they can afford to be rigid. Some one else pays the price.

especially when the country's environment policy is controlled by a rabid and illiterate page three, champagne swilling, NGO party hopping, bearded, pony tailed, designer khadi wearing bunch of "activists" and jholawallas to whom the SC "carefully" listens and passes "laws" with a vengeance.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 18 Aug 2018 11:13

Singha wrote:our office has opened its matching 1:1 grant for 3 ngo - akshaya patra, habitat for humanity and oxfam when employees donate via payroll deduction. a kerala relief sub-bucket opened under the general pool which was already there for all 3. I split my contrib 50:50 among the first two.

world vision has also entered the "aid" collection fray via big ads in national newspapers.

Sachin · Post by **Sachin** » 18 Aug 2018 11:19

500 crore released as interim relief fund by PM.. Rs. 100 crore was issued before this, and Rs. 80 crore issued as interim relief when Home Minister visited the state.

Water is receding in many places. Looks like in many places it is food shortage at relief camps which is getting reported. The local fishermen community from the coastal area is being thanked for being the most crucial helping hand. Their boats were all brought into the flooded areas on trucks.

habal · Post by **habal** » 18 Aug 2018 11:26

Mullaperiyar & Idamalayar dam spillway should be routed via pumps directly into Arabian Sea instead of dumping into Idukki dam & lower lying areas resp.

UAE leaders order formation of emergency committee to provide aid to Kerala

Last updated on August 18, 2018 at 06.12 am

The President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has instructed the formation of a national emergency committee to provide relief assistance to people affected by flash floods in the Indian state of Kerala.

According to Sheikh Khalifa's instructions, the committee will be chaired by the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), and include representatives from the UAE's humanitarian organisations.

Sultan Qaboos of Oman rushes relief material to Kerala in chartered plane.

https://malayalam.news18.com/amp/news/k ... ssion=true

habal · Post by **habal** » 18 Aug 2018 11:30

Sachin wrote:500 crore released as interim relief fund by PM.. Rs. 100 crore was issued before this, and Rs. 80 crore issued as interim relief when Home Minister visited the state.

Water is receding in many places. Looks like in many places it is food shortage at relief camps which is getting reported. The local fishermen community from the coastal area is being thanked for being the most crucial helping hand. Their boats were all brought into the flooded areas on trucks.

Many sea faringfisherman boats deployed in rescue ops in chengannur & pathanamthitta were fibre plastic and developed tear, maybe due to loading/unloading or due to navigating shallow areas and hitting sharp objects.

Sachin · Post by **Sachin** » 18 Aug 2018 11:41

habal wrote:Many sea faringfisherman boats deployed in rescue ops in chengannur & pathanamthitta were fibre plastic and developed tear, maybe due to loading/unloading or due to navigating shallow areas and hitting sharp objects.

May be true, because due to floods we really cannot know what is below the water. They may have hit numerous concrete & metal objects (like walls, gates etc.). But they did a good job, is what I hear.

PS: I was checking the tweets from Def. Min. The IAF and IA are also deploying their men & material in the flooded Kodagu/Coorg region of Karnataka.