essay on Kerala flood
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Massive floods across Kerala have killed more than 350 people and displaced more than 800,000. Flood waters have slowly receded in many areas, but we now enter the most difficult phase of recovery: when survivors return to their homes, only to find little remains. And countless families are discovering their homes have been completely destroyed by the flooding and landslides.
2018 Kerala floods
IN-KL.svg
Date July 2018 – ongoing
Location Kerala, India
Cause Low pressure
Heavy rain
Large discharge from dams
Landslides
Deaths 483 dead, 14 missing[1]
Property damage ₹19,500 crore (US$3 billion) (estimated)[2]
Website www.keralarescue.in
Death toll by date[3]
Date Death toll People
in relief camps
Aug 9 23 8,000
Aug 10 29 53,501
Aug 11 33 60,622
Aug 13 39 N/A
Aug 15 47 N/A
Aug 16 105 150,000
Aug 17 114 314,391
Aug 18 195 887,000
Aug 19 220 724,649
Aug 20 252 1,028,073
– – –
Aug 30 483 N/A
Monsoon rainfall that affected India from August 13 to 20, 2018
Red alert issued by India Meteorological Department (earlier in August)
Beginning in July 2018, severe floods affected the south Indian state of Kerala, due to unusually high rainfall during the monsoon season.[4] It was the worst flooding in Kerala in nearly a century.[5] Over 483 people died, 14 are missing.[6] At least a million[7][8] people were evacuated, mainly from Chengannur,[9] Pandanad,[10] Edanad, Aranmula, Kozhencherry, Ayiroor, Ranni, Pandalam, Kuttanad, Aluva, and Chalakudy. All 14 districts of the state were placed on red alert.[11][12] According to the Kerala government, one-sixth of the total population of Kerala had been directly affected by the floods and related incidents.[13] The Indian government had declared it a Level 3 Calamity, or "calamity of a severe nature".[14][15] It is the worst flood in Kerala after the great flood of 99 that happened in 1924.
Thirty-five out of the fifty-four[16] dams within the state were opened for the first time in history. All five overflow gates of the Idukki Dam were opened at the same time, for the first time in 26 years.[17] Heavy rains in Wayanad and Idukki have caused severe landslides and have left the hilly districts isolated.[18][13] The situation was regularly monitored by the Prime Minister, and the National Crisis Management Committee coordinated the rescue and relief operations.
Beginning in July 2018, severe floods affected the south Indian state of Kerala, due to unusually high rainfall during the monsoon season. It was the worst flooding in Kerala in nearly a century. Over 370 people died, 14 are missing. At least a million people were evacuated, mainly from Chengannur, Pandanad, Aranmula, Aluva, Chalakudy, Kuttanad and Pandalam. All 14 districts of the state were placed on red alert. According to the Kerala government, one-sixth of the total population of Kerala had been directly affected by the floods and related incidents. The Indian government had declared it a Level 3 Calamity, or "calamity of a severe nature”. It is the worst flood in Kerala after the great flood of 99 that happened in 1924.
Thirty-five out of the fifty-four dams within the state were opened for the first time in history. All five overflow gates of the Idukki Dam were opened at the same time, for the first time in 26 years. Heavy rains in Wayanad and Idukki have caused severe landslides and have left the hilly districts isolated. The situation was regularly monitored by the Prime Minister, and the National Crisis Management Committee coordinated the rescue and relief operations.
The incessant rains further deteriorated the flood situation. Approximately 370 people have died in the floods so far. Thousands of homes have been affected and damaged. More than a million people had to take shelter in relief camps. Normal life has come to a standstill. It will take many months of hard-work to bring life to normalcy in Kerala.
Pressure intensified on Saturday to save thousands still trapped by devastating floods that have killed more than 370 in the Indian state of Kerala, triggering landslides and sending torrents sweeping through villages in the region’s worst inundation crisis in a century.
Authorities warned of more torrential rain and strong winds over the weekend, as hundreds of troops and local fishermen staged desperate rescue attempts in helicopters and boats across the southern state. The state is “facing the worst floods in 100 years”, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Twitter, adding that at least 324 lives have been lost so far.
Roads are damaged, mobile phone networks are down, an international airport has been closed and more than 220,000 people have been left homeless after unusually heavy rain in the past nine days.
Casualty numbers are expected to increase further, with thousands more people still stranded. Many have died from being buried in hundreds of landslides set off by the flooding.
The entire nation has come forward to lend a helping hand to the Kerala flood victims. Central Government, State Governments, Union Territories, Multi-National Corporations, Big Business Houses, Celebrities, Sportsmen and women, schools, colleges, and common people have contributed to Kerala’s Chief Minister’s Relief Fund generously. Even the help from foreign countries is pouring in. It will take many months of hard-work to bring life to normalcy in Kerala.
The Government of Kerala started a donation website for flood victims. As of 30th August 2018, ₹1,031 crore (US$150 million) was collected from the public including organisations, corporate firms and famous personalities.
The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi announced a sum of ₹500 crore as interim relief for Kerala on 18 August 2018. This is in addition to ₹562.45 crore already made available in SDRF of the State and ₹100 crore (US$15 million) announced on 12 August 2018 by the Home Minister. The central government also said in its press release that this ₹600 crore is only the advance assistance and that additional funds will be released by the NDRF when an inter-ministerial team visits again and assesses the damage.
The central government, in one of the largest rescue operations, deployed 40 helicopters, 31 aircraft, 500 boats, 182 rescue teams and 18 medical teams of defence forces, 58 teams of NDRF and 7 companies of Central Armed Police Forces. Together they saved over 60,000 human lives