Kerala Floods - Aftermath and Save Sabarimala

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arshyam
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Kerala Floods - Aftermath and Save Sabarimala

Post by arshyam »

Kerala has been under severe weather over the past couple of weeks, and most of the state is impacted. Trains are more or less at a standstill, and road networks in the hills are impacted by landslides. Kochi airport has been shutdown. The tragic situation has resulted in almost 90 people dead.

I am opening this thread to track rescue and recovery efforts and also to share info among the BRF community.

Please add whatever info you are able to find, especially on ways we can help out.
Last edited by ramana on 13 Oct 2018 04:31, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Thread title changed to be more encompassing. Ramana
arshyam
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by arshyam »

Kerala rains | Live updates: Kochi airport shut till August 26 - The Hindu

Image
A view of the Kochi international airport | Photo Credit: Photos courtesy: Indian Navy
At least 20 feared dead today in rain-related incidents, taking total death toll to over 87

Kerala continues to battle with a resurgent monsoon on Thursday, with cities and villages submerged by floodwaters. The State, which is facing the worst floods in history, saw as many as 67 deaths due to rain-related incidents, 24 on August 15 alone. Additionally, as many as 20 people are feared dead in different parts of the State on Thursday.

Flight operations have been suspended till August 18 at Kochi airport and many trains in the Thiruvananthapuram-Nagercoil route have been cancelled due to flooding and landslips. Kochi metro services have been suspended until further notice. Officials said a red alert has been sounded off till Sunday, with heavy rains predicted in 12 districts.

From Kasaragod in the north to Thiruvananthapuram in the south, all rivers are in spate and shutters of 35 dams, including Mullaperiyar, have been opened.
Image
Last edited by arshyam on 16 Aug 2018 21:14, edited 1 time in total.
arshyam
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by arshyam »

PMNRF - Prime Minister's National Relief Fund

The Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund - kerala.gov.in. Does anyone know of an official online donation link?

Many places in BLR are collecting donations like clothes, etc.
ramana
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by ramana »

I too was thinking of opening the thread too this morning.
Looks like the flood damage is quite extensive and Military is part of the rescue efforts.
Glad you opened here and not in other forums where it might not get the visibility
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by UlanBatori »

Came by e-pata:
KHNA - Kerala Flood Relief Appeal
Dear XXXXXX,
Hari Om.
As you all are aware, our homeland Kerala is undergoing one of the worst natural calamities in the history of the state due to relentless monsoon rains and flooding. As a result, many of our people are having being displaced from their homes, waiting to be rescued and many have even lost their lives.
Many organizations are canceling their Onam programs and are collecting funds/clothes /food etc for our people in Kerala.
This is the time we come together as one and to do what we can possible to help our people.
KHNA is working with Sewa USA where you can donate online.
Click the button to donate with Sewa USA campaign
Keeping your families and loved ones in our prayers for their safety.
Hari Om
Dr. Rekha Menon
President, KHNA
The sheer magnitude of the disaster may be gauged from the fact that the KHNA took a break from suing each other and biting each other's asses to actually post a useful link. :eek:

Seriously, it is a millennial event unless worse happens next year as it probably will. 1924 was a full-fledged cyclone: roofs blew off. But here it is just rain and official nincompoopiness in timing the dam openings to coincide with max damage potential. It's not "low-lying areas" flooded any more: it is the entire ground floor of the majority of several districts. Rs. 10 lakh per cent property value areas. And how can you tell that it's the dam release? "Strong wesward flow". Water level rose like 3 or 4 feet around 2AM!!!!
Last edited by UlanBatori on 16 Aug 2018 23:35, edited 2 times in total.
UlanBatori
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by UlanBatori »

Sure not the time to post this but what the heck: Monday morning quarterbacking is soooo much fun. These ppl (the ophishialdom and Baboon-Mantricracy) seem to have learned *****NOT A THING*** from the Chennai SNAFU of 2015. They sat on their thumbs for days and didn't think about the forecasts, and then opened all the dams to synchronize the peak flooding at 2AM for maximum effect. 115 dead, toll rising with the water levels. I would not be surprised if the top 10 or so are absconding when the levels do down enough for the lynch mobs to arrive at their mansions. Now if the Mullapperiyar dam gives way (I would say 80 percent probability - the rickety thing is shaky in the weakest of monsoons) that may well become 115,000.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by Suraj »

Notwithstanding the exercise of executive power by the judiciary:
Reduce water level at Mullaperiyar to 139ft, orders SC

The closure of Cochin International Airport has been extended until August 26.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by UlanBatori »

General request to stay off social media in Malloostan because there are increasing reports of people stranded in rising waters, trying to get through to rescuers and vice versa. I saw someone posting emergency relief numbers on Whastapp and suggesting to CALL THOSE Numbers!! As in
Alloooo! Just calling to see if Emergency numbar working onlee! How many ppl are dead so far?
I expect the govt to come out with punishments for non-emergency calls to emergency numbers any moment now. Also Baboon are firing off Ophishial Letters DENYING social media reports that MP dam is developing cracks. No comment.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by arshyam »

Relentless rain savages Kerala - The Hindu
Toll rises to 156; 12 more NDRF teams rushed; Navy begins airlifting the marooned

Image

With 91 persons killed in rain-related incidents on Thursday, the toll in the recent rain- and flood-related incidents across Kerala rose to 156. More than 1.5 lakh people have been shifted to 1,200 relief camps.

Twelve additional National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, comprising about 540 personnel, are being rushed to the State, in addition to the 18 teams already deployed, apart from contingents of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. A further 23 NDRF teams will be deployed in the coming days, NDRF Director-General Sanjay Kumar said.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh earlier in the day seeking more Central assistance, said the flood situation was “extremely grave.”

“This sort of a situation has never been faced by the State. Areas where floods had never occurred are witnessing inundation,” he said.

Rain to continue

The India Meteorological Department has warned of heavy rain for the next 48 hours in the State.

Army, Navy and Coast Guard teams were pressed into rescue operations as families clambered on to roofs to escape the rising Pampa river. Ranni, Kozhenchery, Aranmula and Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta district were isolated as the river breached its banks. The Navy airlifted stranded citizens from Aluva, Perumbavur, Thrissur and Pathanamthitta after social media was flooded with distress messages.

Many of the marooned families, including senior citizens and infants, have been without food, water and electricity since Wednesday.

A major landslip at Vettilapara in Eranad taluk in Malappuram claimed the lives of eight persons. Landslips and floods occurred at several places in Idukki and the high ranges in the district remained cut off for the second day following heavy rains.

Another massive landslip occurred at Amabayathode in Kottiyur village in Kannur, causing extensive damage to crops and property. Local people have been directed to relocate to safer places. The Attapady tribal belt and Nelliyampathy hill station were isolated following a series of landslips on Thursday morning.

Patients in hospitals and students in college hostels were among those marooned by floodwaters. Hundreds of students were marooned at the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kalady near Kochi. A high alert was issued for residents along the banks of the Chittur river after Tamil Nadu prepared to release 11,000 cusecs of water from the inter-State Aliyar to Palakkad.

The Periyar, Chalakudy, Bharathapuzha, Kunthipuzha and Bhavani rivers were in spate. Kochi city remained tense as waters from the Periyar began invading more areas along the banks in Ernakulam.

The district administration has begun evacuating people.

The Kochi Metro services were suspended after the yard at Muttom was flooded. Traffic along the Kozhikode-Bangalore, Kottayam-MC road, Kottayam- Kattapana and Kalady MC roads was disrupted and vehicles stranded at many locations.

(With PTI inputs)
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by arshyam »

More rain on the way...

https://www.imdtvm.gov.in/
NOWCAST: 17-08-2018

Time of issue 0400 IST (Valid for next 3 hours)

Heavy rain accompanied with gusty winds, speed reaching 60 kmph is expected in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode & Wayanad districts.
Fishermen Warning for Kerala coast and Lakshadweep area
(For next 24 hours valid from 0000 Hours IST of 17th August 2018)

Strong winds mainly from Westerly direction speed occasionally reaching 35-45 kmph gusting to 60 kmph likely along and off Karnataka coast, North Kerala coast and over Lakshadweep area.

Strong winds from Westerly direction speed occasionally reaching 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph likely along and off south Kerala coast.


High wave warning from INCOIS:
High waves in the range of 3.5 - 4.0 meters are forecast during 17:30 hours on 15-08-2018 to 23:30 hours of 17-08-2018 along the coast of Lakshadweep Islands from Minicoy to Bitra, along the coast of Kerala from Vizhinjam to Kasargod. and along the coast of Karnataka from Mangalore to Karwar.

Sea condition is likely to be rough to very rough over Southwest and central Arabian sea.

Fishermen are advised not to venture into sea over Karnataka, North Kerala coasts, over Lakshadweep area and Southwest & central Arabian sea.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by arshyam »

Suraj wrote:Notwithstanding the exercise of executive power by the judiciary:
Reduce water level at Mullaperiyar to 139ft, orders SC

The closure of Cochin International Airport has been extended until August 26.
TN should reduce the water level if that gives some comfort to the affected people. However, it has to be done carefully given that the Periyar is already in spate and further release will only make things worse.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by arshyam »

arshyam
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by arshyam »

Kerala rains: Helpline numbers for stranded Cochin airport passengers
Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has set up a 24X7 control room to help air travellers stranded due to suspension of flight operations at Kochi.

The Kochi airport is shut for flights until August 18 due to heavy rains and flooding of the operational area. Airlines have been asked to divert their flights to and from Kochi to nearby Thiruvananthpuram and Calicut airports as well as not to raise airfares disproportionately.

"The Ministry of Civil Aviation and the domestic airlines will be extending full support to the State Government of Kerala in airlifting food items and other relief material free of cost on their scheduled services, subject only to operational constraints, if any," wrote Suresh Prabhu, the Minister for Civil Aviation, on Twitter.

Meanwhile, the scheduled flights of the domestic airlines to and from Trivandrum and Calicut airports from August 16 have been monitored through Integrated Operational Control Centre (IOCC) of the airlines.

The DGCA control room received the following queries from the public:

Re-scheduling status of flights, which was addressed after referring to the revised schedule submitted by the airlines for 16th August, 2018.
High fare, especially on Delhi-Trivandrum sector. Concerned airlines were advised to keep a check on the fare and cap the maximum fare on Delhi-Trivandrum sector to ₹10,000. Airlines have also been advised to check the fares on other flights going to Trivandrum and Calicut.

The control room has spoken to Cochin airport for latest update on the weather. It has been informed that water level inside the airport continue to rise and heavy rain is predicted till Saturday.

The control room can be reached through the following DGCA personnel:

Mr. A.X. Joseph, Dy. Dir.: +91-9871007874
Mr. Atul Maindola, Dy. Dir.: +91-9999069074
Mr. Kaushik Mukhopadhyay, Dy.Dir.: +91-8586094546
Mr. Brijesh Kumar Singh, Ae.O.: +91-9717307448
Mr. Ekshwaku Nandan Srivastava, Ae.O: +91-9990474145

“Due to heavy rains in Kerala, operations to/from Cochin airport have been suspended from August 15 to 18 on account of water rising in the operational area,” an official release from DGCA said. “However, Trivandrum and Calicut airports are available for scheduled operations. For international operations, both immigration and customs facilities are available 24X7 at these airports. Trivandrum airport can also accommodate wide body aircraft,” it added.

The press release went on to add that scheduled domestic airlines have been advised to reschedule their flights to/from Cochin to Trivandrum and Calicut airports till the situation at the Cochin airport returns to normal. The domestic airlines have also been advised to operate relief flights to Trivandrum/Calicut for passengers of diverted flights who have landed at Bangalore, Coimbatore and Chennai on August 15 morning instead of Cochin.

Meanwhile, flights of foreign airlines including Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, Fly Dubai, Jazeera, Oman Air, Qatar, Saudia Airlines and Srilankan have been rescheduled for Trivandrum airport. Foreign airlines like Air Asia Berhad, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airlines, Malindo, Scoot, Silk Air and Thai Air Asia have suspended their flights to/from Cochin.
Passengers may reach to the airlines at following contact numbers

Domestic Airlines

Air India and Air India Express: +911149637728/+911149637693/+911149637714

Air Asia: +918046676713

Air Vistara: +919899451962

Go Air: +912267420154/+912267420156

IndiGo: +919560049400/+911246674040

Jet Airways: +912266075545

Spicejet: +911243913933

Foreign Airlines

Oman Air: +919846243130/+918594013197

Saudi Arabian: +914844028901

Fly Dubai: +918606580717

Air Arabia: +919895345000

Jazeera: +919885144427

Qatar: +914842611304/+914842611305/+919961439666

Emirates: +919846523454

Malindo: +918527266466

Air Asia Berhad and Thai Air Asia: +919995319187

Scoot: +919742710404

Srilankan: +919847064064

(With inputs from Jagrati Chandra)
arshyam
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by arshyam »

Centre to scale up relief measures in Kerala
National Crisis Management Committee takes stock of the grim situation in flood--ravaged State

Image

A high level committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary met on Thursday and decided to scale up relief and rescue operations in flood-hit Kerala by involving the three defence services and other agencies.

Chaired by Cabinet Secretary P.K. Sinha and attended by chiefs of the three services, secretaries of home, defence and others, the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) took stock of the prevailing situation in Kerala and directed all concerned to ensure continued assistance to the State government to meet the crisis, a Home Ministry spokesperson said.

PM’s directive

The meeting was held following a directive of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the spokesperson said. He said so far, 2,182 persons have been rescued and 968 stranded people were evacuated.

The Central government has been providing full support to Kerala and has launched massive relief and rescue operations in the State, the spokesperson said.

In the meeting, the Cabinet Secretary pressed into service all the forces — Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, National Disaster Response Force and other Central armed police forces (CAPFs) — and directed that all possible assistance be provided to Kerala for relief and rescue operations.

Relief material

The Cabinet Secretary also directed that relief material including supply of drinking water, dry food packets and powdered milk should also be made available to Kerala, the spokesperson said.

For proper reservoir management in the Mullaperiyar Dam, the NCMC constituted a committee led by the Chairman of the Central Water Commission and engineers-in-chief of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

As of now, 18 teams of the NDRF, 9 columns and 8 teams of the Engineering Task Force of the Army, 22 teams of the Coast Guard, 24 diving teams of the Navy along with helicopters, aircraft, boats, equipment, life buoys, life jackets, etc., have been dispatched to Kerala in rescue operations as well as evacuation of stranded people.

Medical assistance is being provided by the NDRF, the Army, the Navy, including special medical camps. So far, 2,182 people have been rescued, 968 stranded people have been evacuated by the forces.

The Prime Minister spoke to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday morning and discussed with him the flood situation.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh too had a telephonic conversation with Mr. Vijayan.

During his visit to Kerala on Sunday, Mr. Singh had announced a ₹100 crore immediate assistance package.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by arshyam »

Does anyone know if this is an official site? https://keralarescue.in/

It has a logo of the Kerala govt, but I am trying to verify before contributing.

EDIT
The above site led me to the online version of the CM's disaster relief fund: https://donation.cmdrf.kerala.gov.in/
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by UlanBatori »

Resuming flights would be cruel because there is no way to get to the airport, for most people. Most highways are cut off. Reminds me of when my mom was stranded with me and little sis in Tiruchirappally during the "Hindi Ozhika!" riots because our train reached 12 hours late (with pilot train and armed escort because rail stations and policemen had been burned the night before), about 2 hours after the plane to Sri Lanka had taken off.

I still remember the pompous Indian Airlines asshole:
Our plane cannot wait for Your train!
Man, that landslide is terrifying! I have seen some imaginary landslides in the Mowgli movie but this is one is real life and looks even more horrifying. Those are full-grown trees becoming missiles. Earth moving like ocean breakers!
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by UlanBatori »

The gyan I hear from veterans (with close govt. experience!) is that donations to the CM's fund will go to CPIM/DYFI kitty and Onam celebrations for Party hacks. Save your money. Right now I do not believe there is any shortage of money, just very little mobility. Need for money may come later. SEWA is raising money (see KHNA link above) and they are good at grassroots relief.

Someone said Kerala govt is raising price of hooch (main source of revenue) to fund relief. Now THERE's one way to spell Relief...

I have a seriously bad feeling about Mullapperiyar dam. They've let that nonsense go on for waaaay too long. In every normal monsoon that thing has been on the verge of collapse, and now we have a 100-year cataclysm. I just don't see how it is going to survive, even the earthen base of the dam is in danger of dissolving. Wonder what I'll see in the news when I get up tomorrow or Saturdin. When the govt publishes Ophishial Letters saying
IT IS FALSE TO SAY THAT THERE ARE CRACKS DEVELOPING IN THE DAM
, it is time to run for high ground.

Entire districts, let alone cities, are under water. I bet the main train route has tunnels that are underwater, and bridges are near collapse/washaway. National highway is mostly underwater except the raised parts. In some places people taking refuge on the "first floor" meaning the one about the ground floor, are in danger of being swept away. Hospitals are being evacuated. Good thing some of the schools have upper floors and are built of concrete.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by mappunni »

UlanBatori wrote:The gyan I hear from veterans (with close govt. experience!) is that donations to the CM's fund will go to CPIM/DYFI kitty and Onam celebrations for Party hacks. Save your money. Right now I do not believe there is any shortage of money, just very little mobility. Need for money may come later. SEWA is raising money (see KHNA link above) and they are good at grassroots relief. .
UlanBatoriji,
Many folks from Kerala too, frown upon giving to the Kerala CM fund as you have rightfully mentioned it will end up in Commie fund.

Some people in the local Guruvayurappan temple to floated the idea of toning down the Onam celebration and instead diverting some of the $$$ for the flood victims and provide it to KHNA.

And yes, KHNA is doing something good. :D :D
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by ramana »

Dileep,

How are you doing? Safe?
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by Dileep »

Report from Ground One (10 kliks away from Ground Zero):

The entire Periyar basin water rose by at least 10 metres. NH66 from Kalamassery all the way to Thrissur is waterlogged except the flyovers. The only remaining northward connectivity from Kochi is via the coastal road from Vypin to Munambam.

The entire Chalakudy basin is also under metres of water. The Manali/Kurumali basin to the north is also totally flooded, with the water flowing over the NH.

Muvattupuzha basin is flooded at the Muvattupuzha area. The downstream areas of this system seems to be doing slightly better than the others as I gather from the severity reports.

Pamba basin is practically gone. This is because this is a narrow one with heavy population on the banks.

Sabarimala Temple is isolated, with the chief priest and assistants there. No way for devotees or anything else to reach there. The CT here is that Lord Ayyappa got angry on the supreme court case for women entry, and asserted his supreme authority by denying access to everyone.

The only link to Munnar is the police wireless. No information forthcoming.

It is going to take several months or even upto an year to recover and rebuild.

The CM of Tamil Nadu has shown his culture. Enough said. I don't want to restart the fight now.

My place is practically on the ridge between the Periyar system and the much smaller Kadambrayar system. We are safe currently. God forbid the Ramshackle dam breaks. Then, probably it is KYAGB onlee.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by Sachin »

Updates I received this morning from Thrissur district side;
1. The main highway connecting Coimbatore to Ernakulam had been blocked by heavy land slide in the ghat section of Kuthiran. Yesterday the queue of vehicles extended nearly 15kms on both sides. Some trucks, including a rescue truck from TN's Fire Brigade got trapped in the land slide. Now they have cleared one line of the highway and vehicles are slowly being released. How ever the advice is avoid travel if you can.
2. There was also severe water logging in the western side of Thrissur town, which cut off the road access from Kozhikode side through Edappal & Valanchery. The water has subsided a bit, and now the route is open for some minimum amount of road traffic.
3. There was also heavy rise of water in the Bharathapuzha river which forced the police to close the road bridge at Cheruthuruthi, cutting off access to the district from the near by Palakkad district.
UlanBatori wrote:General request to stay off social media in Malloostan because there are increasing reports of people stranded in rising waters, trying to get through to rescuers and vice versa. I saw someone posting emergency relief numbers on Whastapp and suggesting to CALL THOSE Numbers!!
True, there is severe panic as well. The number of people who have stuck on the 1st floor of the buildings is really high. Unfortunately there was no one to tell these people that moving up one level up their buildings is a problem. They should have evacuated when the ways to get out were still open. But what has happened as happened, so the KL govt. is also trying to rush in boats from the coastal areas (the fishermen volunteering) to be used in such areas. But whether such boats can navigate through buildings etc. is a big question.
The gyan I hear from veterans (with close govt. experience!) is that donations to the CM's fund will go to CPIM/DYFI kitty and Onam celebrations for Party hacks.
....
Someone said Kerala govt is raising price of hooch (main source of revenue) to fund relief. Now THERE's one way to spell Relief...
This news seems to be trickling down to more people. When Okhi hurricane hit KL's coastal belt, the central government had given relief funds worth 100 crore. The story is that 70% of them went for non-Okhi relief activities. The state government also had jacked up the money value of losses, which the central govt. had promptly caught.

Yes, liquor tax rates have gone up from 23% to 27%. This was officially confirmed by the state CM. Pretty much the whole state is flooded and the state government hopes that the boozers of KL would "hear the call of duty" and promptly queue up in front of the liquor outlets.

This also gives me an indication on the financial mess the state is in. Relief funds raised by raising liquor prices!! I have tried my two paisa worth by helping in local charity organisations & youth clubs. Feel it would be better than feeding the every hungry CPI(M)/DYFI goons.
arshyam wrote:More rain on the way...
From what I get from the ground, rains have kept away from many districts and sun has risen up. All these districts still remain in "red alert" mode, though. There are still 100s of requests for rescue coming in.
Does anyone know if this is an official site? https://keralarescue.in/
It is. This is the official channel to put up rescue/SoS calls. This web site was launched primarily to be the single point to raise calls for help. Volunteers pull out data from this site and then plan the rescue activities. But what is happening is that people are also sharing phone numbers of NDRF officers and Navy divers etc. These numbers may be incorrect, or such officials may not be willing to do resuce based on these "unscheduled calls". They seem to work with a plan in hand.
Dileep wrote:Sabarimala Temple is isolated, with the chief priest and assistants there. No way for devotees or anything else to reach there. The CT here is that Lord Ayyappa got angry on the supreme court case for women entry, and asserted his supreme authority by denying access to everyone.
:(. Yes, indeed. And I also don't here the cries of "let every one enter Sabari Mala" off late. Lord Ayyappah really wishes to be left alone. From what I got from the media; only the chief priest and few staff is there at the temple. Even the head priest (considered to be a father figure of the diety) is stuck up at a forest camp, and he could not reach the temple for the opening ceremony. Police is now turning back every Ayyappa devotee from areas like Nilakkal & Pampa.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by nvishal »

1) Anyone knows the cause? More rain than usual this year?

2) I understand that areas have been water logged. Is it receding or adding?

3) Has any agency released satellite pics of the affected areas? Affected population size? I'm not familiar with the names posted here and a geo map will be of greater help.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by Sachin »

nvishal wrote:1) Anyone knows the cause? More rain than usual this year?
Yes the rain fall (especially in the catchment areas of the dams) have been very high. This led to dams getting opened, which then also increased water flow in the rivers. It has been nearly 20+ years since dams have opened up and released so much water. During these 20+ years lots of homes,flats etc. also got built very near to the rivers, assuming that the rivers would never rise up to the current levels.

In the hill districts of Kerala there were also big time encroachments and deforestation. In such areas there were also land slides, which led to many deaths. Buildings were constructed in unsafe areas and land slides just demolished the buildings. In one case a tourist resort was built on such encroached land, clearly flouting the "stop memos" from the government. This year around the resort was cut off and tourists had to be rescued by NDRF/Army. From what I understand casualties are more due to land slides etc; more than due to flooding.
2) I understand that areas have been water logged. Is it receding or adding?
In certain districts rains have stopped and water is receding. Thrissur & Malappuram districts are seeing more of sun today. But from Dileep et.al looks like some Southern districts are again facing problems. The dams up stream may have to release more water as there has been heavy rainfall in the catchment areas.

3) Has any agency released satellite pics of the affected areas? Affected population size? I'm not familiar with the names posted here and a geo map will be of greater help.[/quote]
There were some pictures said to be released by Coast Guard on the areas near Kochi which was flooded.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by Arima »

Dileep wrote:Report from Ground One (10 kliks away from Ground Zero):

Sabarimala Temple is isolated, with the chief priest and assistants there. No way for devotees or anything else to reach there. The CT here is that Lord Ayyappa got angry on the supreme court case for women entry, and asserted his supreme authority by denying access to everyone.
unbelievable, that emotion can turn to such level.
I support women of all age right to pray to lord and any person from any caste to become priest.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by Dileep »

^^Your support means what it is worth! Sir! This is the Floods thread onlee.

The cause is heavy and incessant rains all over the state, due to a depression in the Bay of Bengal. It literally pulled the warm moist air from the IOR and dumped all the moisture here. So much of water came down the rivers and spread all over.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by Sachin »

Kerala rains | Live updates: Death toll at 164, relief from heavy rains expected from Aug 19
---
Sachin wrote:1. The main highway connecting Coimbatore to Ernakulam had been blocked by heavy land slide in the ghat section of Kuthiran. ..... Now they have cleared one line of the highway and vehicles are slowly being released.
This route is now blocked again as land slides happened this morning as well. There is once again a big traffic jam out here which may take 1-2 days to clear.

The biggest challenge from what I can see from social media is that there are too many people to be rescued and the the rescue teams are much less in number and unable to cope up. Old people stuck up on the first floor of their houses, entire population of a women's hostel needing rescue etc; the teams are unable to handle all this.

KL is a place where politics is added into any thing (good or bad) but luckily so far; people have kept politics aside.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by Sachin »

As per the latest reports Hon. Supreme Court and the Central Govt. have taken a stance against TN state government's plan of maintaining the water level of Mullaiperiyar dam at around 142 ft. SC wants water level at Mullaperiyar dam reduced by 3 ft..

But if the water is released from Mullaiperiyar it should land up in the reservoir of the huge dam at Idukki. And the water would have to be released from there as well. Hope KL Govt. manages this with adequate precautions.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by Arima »

Dileep wrote:^^Your support means what it is worth! Sir! This is the Floods thread onlee.

The cause is heavy and incessant rains all over the state, due to a depression in the Bay of Bengal. It literally pulled the warm moist air from the IOR and dumped all the moisture here. So much of water came down the rivers and spread all over.
yes, the time is for rescue and relief and not to go into wrath of god kind of statements.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by UlanBatori »

Current status: "No work, shop area is flooded and police won't allow access; {no answer to question of whether they have anything to eat, but power is on and Internet (WhatsApp) is on}. Rain has decreased."

Cause?
"When we locked the shop at 7PM there was no water on the road; it was after 10PM that the water came"
(and it rose 4 feet on the road!!)

It was the biss-poorly-planned, abrupt release of water from the dams. Musharrafs should roll for it, starting with the Chief Minister. Here is the ominous indicator:
The Big Honchos of (*****, hot-shot prime residential area with 15-foot boundary walls and mansions) had to go to refugee camp in a lorry in the middle of the night. {Incl. ppl in burkhas.} :eek:
Only when the water touched his feet did (The Big Patriarch) decide to move. :mrgreen:
Whatever else, Malloos maintain their sense of humor and courage.

The blocked drains had already caused problems by July and many had been cleared, but not all. Chalta hain.
Construction was based on 2-year Flood Plain, not 100-Year Flood Plain as is required in Ulan Bator. This shows why: Every 100 years, the 100-Year Flood Plain DOES get flooded. Now no problem for next 100 years, chalta hain onlee. Except that the best, winning weather prediction algorithm is: today's weather same as yesterday's, next year's same as this year's.

Funny thing is that the spanking new 4-lane Coimbatore-Kochi Super Highway's Tunnel Through The Kuthiran (yet to be opened) comes out at a level that is lower than the present road. Like 50 feet lower.

And the 'Net just went down there, terminating the call ....
Last edited by UlanBatori on 17 Aug 2018 18:33, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by UlanBatori »

Arima wrote:...
yes, the time is for rescue and relief and not to go into wrath of god kind of statements.
The word "CT" means "Conspiracy Theory". Pls look it up. Avoid pompous preaching please. The Sabarimala issue before the Supreme Court is a bit more complex than a CNN/Indian Express level of discussion.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by Sachin »

From what I glean from multiple sources. Things have started stabilising in districts like Malappuram, people have actually started going back to their homes. Water subsiding in parts of Kozhikode rural dt. as well. But situation is grave in Chalakkudy, Paravur and some parts of Alwaye (all areas in Thrissur & Ernakulam Rural Dt.).
UlanBatori wrote:Whatever else, Malloos maintain their sense of humor and courage.
On this part; there has been many trolls on Mallika Sukumaran (M/o movie actor Prithwiraj Sukumaran) going about in her prized Lamborgini (which she said was having problems in KL roads).
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by UlanBatori »

The pic of the lady holding an umbrella while being her rescuers wade through chest-deep muddy water, says it all about Modern Malloostan. Wonder that she didn't have her "thozhis" holding the umbrella for her while she chatted on her Smart Phone.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by SaiK »

I have my mother moved out. she is safe now with her brother, only after she returns back I'd be able to find out what happened /state of her home.

We need ISRO pics of entire Kerala [all water clogged areas] now. Going forward, storm water drain system must calculate worst-case overflows, capacity, increase depth+width, new channels, etc.

This story would be true for all other cities - Chennai Flood #2 will happen soon., and we are going to experience the fury of "altered weather pattern" across the globe.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by Bart S »

UlanBatori wrote:
Arima wrote:...
yes, the time is for rescue and relief and not to go into wrath of god kind of statements.
The word "CT" means "Conspiracy Theory". Pls look it up. Avoid pompous preaching please. The Sabarimala issue before the Supreme Court is a bit more complex than a CNN/Indian Express level of discussion.
So why peddle conspiracy theories here in the first place, and then get annoyed when someone calls BS on it?
Dileep wrote:
The CM of Tamil Nadu has shown his culture. Enough said. I don't want to restart the fight now.
And what culture would that be? I am in TN and the whatsapp groups that I am part of are full of activity with organizing relief materials. My colleague who is on vacation in Kanyakumari district is volunteering across the border (though the area is not that badly affected). If you don't want to 'restart the fight' please desist from taking casual potshots and making generalizations in the first place.

As others have said, lets stick to being of use and avoid contentious topics.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by UlanBatori »

What I am hoping for, is a pic of those plastic bags full of chicken innards that appear every morning on the roadside, floating about inside the Palace of the Chief Minister to go with the chicken-s*** already resident there. All*h has certainly dictated a pretty thorough washing of Gawd's Own Country. A good place to start moving forward.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by nvishal »

Rivers and its tributaries. Mullaperiyar dam marked in red.

Image

Looking at the stagnant water in aerial photos, it will take time for the soil to absorb it. At least generator pumps can be used to clear the water to set up temporary relief camps.

On a side note, the tributaries reminded me of the tributaries in bangaldesh(not that bad) where india waited till December to march.
Sachin wrote:From what I glean from multiple sources. Things have started stabilising in districts like Malappuram, people have actually started going back to their homes. Water subsiding in parts of Kozhikode rural dt. as well. But situation is grave in Chalakkudy, Paravur and some parts of Alwaye (all areas in Thrissur & Ernakulam Rural Dt.).
Most of these areas are in 13, 14 and 15 regions, so north kerala
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by Sachin »

nvishal wrote:Looking at the stagnant water in aerial photos, it will take time for the soil to absorb it. At least generator pumps can be used to clear the water to set up temporary relief camps.
Relief camps are being setup at the right places. In each of the affected areas there are also places at a higher elevation. But this is a massive calamity which the state has not seen for many many decades. Now what is happening is that i) many people have their mobile phones completely out of power ii) in many of the houses there are aged/handicapped people with not much physically fit youngsters around. From the latest reports Chengannur (Alappey Dt.) and Chalakkudy (Thrissur Dt.) are in more grave situation. More rescue helicopters and bigger boats are to be put into operation from tomorrow.
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by nvishal »

Topographical view with regions experiencing water logging. Water flowing from hills to plains

Image

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@10.68524 ... a=!5m1!1e4
The death toll has now gone up to 324 and over 2 lakh people have been shifted to more than 1500 relief camps
:eek:
13 of the 14 districts affected
so far 80 dams have been opened
https://www.businesstoday.in/current/ec ... 81390.html
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Re: Kerala Floods - Aug 2018

Post by Sachin »

Locked