Kerala floods kill dozens with 36,000 evacuated

[manlion]

Indian tourist hotspot hit by severe rains that led authorities to open 27 reservoirs

Flash floods in Kerala have killed 37 people and displaced around 36,000 according to Indian officials after heavy monsoons led to landslides and overflowing reservoirs across the southern state.

Kerala, famed for its pristine palm-lined beaches and tea plantations, is battered by the monsoon every year but the rains have been particularly severe this season.

Those forced from their homes “have moved to 350 relief camps across the state”, said an official at the Kerala State Disaster Management control room.

The army has been roped in for rescue efforts in Kerala after two days of heavy rain drove authorities to open the shutters of 27 reservoirs to drain out the excess water.

One of the five shutters of a large reservoir in the mountainous Idukki district was opened for the first time in 26 years.

“Our state is in the midst of an unprecedented flood havoc,” Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote in a statement posted on Twitter.

“The calamity has caused immeasurable misery and devastation. Many lives were lost. Hundreds of homes were totally destroyed,” he added, lauding the efforts of rescue teams working in the state from across India.

The US embassy advised its citizens to avoid the areas affected and monitor local media for weather updates.

More than a million foreign tourists visited Kerala in 2017, according to official data. The government of Kerala, which has a population of 33 million people, has imposed a ban on the movement of lorries and tourist vehicles in Idukki.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/12/kerala-floods-kill-dozens-with-36000-evacuated

 

[Chakar The Great]

Sad, there is little one could do to prevent these natural calamities however all efforts should be made to prevent human lives and property.

 

[manlion]

How Kerala’s Hindu community reacted to Sangh Parivar hate speech: Kerala temple donates entire treasury collections to disaster relief fund

Kochi: Despite of the nation-wide call by Sangh Parivar allies to refrain from making donations to the Kerala flood disaster relief fund, a temple trust in the state decides to donate its entire treasury collections to the rehabilitation project. Keezhillam Kaniyasseri Vishnu temple of Eranakulam makes a socially apposite move by signifying that it doesn’t identify itself with the sectarian sanghparivar politics

http://www.doolnews.com/how-keralas...sury-collections-to-disaster-relief-fund.html

 

[manlion]

 

[acetophenol]

The message is misleading. 100cr was sanctioned as an immediate relief, not that the centre has denied help, funds are on its way

 

[manlion]

lets see how much aid India will provide to Kerala

Todate - India's total approved relief aid for Kerala flood - 80 cr + 100 cr = 180 cr

Kerala rains HIGHLIGHTS: Centre announces additional relief worth Rs 100 crores, flood loss estimated at Rs 8,316 crores
https://indianexpress.com/article/i...eriyar-river-pinarayi-vijayan-floods-5302745/

Govt approves Rs 80cr flood relief aid to Kerala
https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/i...-80cr-flood-relief-aid-to-kerala-2743121.html

Opposition alleges bias in Cyclone Ockhi support, Centre denies it

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge wanted to know why only four NDRF teams were sent to Kerala and three to Tamil Nadu, which he said was inadequate. “Seven teams of NDRF were deployed in Gujarat when the impact of Ockhi in the state was not that severe. There should not be any discrimination in assistance. There must be an inquiry,” Kharge said.

https://indianexpress.com/article/i...clone-ockhi-support-centre-denies-it-4995146/

 

[manlion]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1029654751133093888

https://twitter.com/x/status/1029622888134008832

 

[manlion]

Official RSS page shares old image as Seva Bharati workers working in Kerala flood relief

https://www.altnews.in/rss-workers-aid-gujarat-flood-shared-as-kerala/

 

[Peaceful Civilian]

RIP.... It is difficult to fight such natural disaster . Imagine the children and families losing homes, food, their loved ones. Hope, government will take quick measure to help effected families.

 

[manlion]

Kerala floods: The ghost of past environment policy returns

According to a report from the National Disaster Management Authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs 130 people have died in Kerala this monsoon from May 29 to July 19. Adding to this, the deaths from the August rainfall, the death toll for Kerala is 169.

As nature’s fury takes over Kerala, environmentalists point out past irresponsible policy decisions which have led to this “manmade disaster”.

Environmentalists point at poor policy decisions

Most of the regions, impacted by this monsoon were once classified as ecologically-sensitive zones (ESZs) by the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), also known as the Gadgil Committee.

The report was crafted by a team headed by Madhav Gadgil, ecologist and founder of the Centre for Ecological Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. According to environmentalists, the committee’s recommendations were strong enough to protect the sensitive Western Ghat region.

The committee had suggested to classify 140,000 kilometres of the Western Ghats in to three zones as per the requirement of environmental protection in the areas. In some areas the committee recommended strong restrictions on mining and quarrying, use of land for non forest purposes, construction of high rises etc. The report was first submitted to the government in 2011.

But the Kerala government rejected the committee report and did not adopt any of its recommendations.

Speaking to various regional media, Madhav Gadgil has said that irresponsible environmental policy is to blame for the recent floods and landslides in Kerala. He also called it a “manmade calamity”. He said that the committee report had recommended to protect the resources with the cooperation of local self governments and people, but those recommendations were rejected. He also pointed out that quarrying is a major reason for the mudslides and landslides.

Other environmentalists also point fingers at the extensive quarrying, mushrooming of high rises as part of tourism and illegal forest land acquisition by private parties as major reasons for the recent calamity.

V. Thomas, former scientist at the National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS) told Mongabay-India that nobody wants to discuss the reasons behind natural disasters. He also believes that the Gadgil committee report had to be taken seriously.

“Landslides caused major damage this time. Most of the people have died in landslides. These landslides were severe in hilly districts like Idukki, Wayanad etc. – the regions that came under Gadgil Committee report,” said Thomas. “The report had clearly mentioned how to protect ecological sensitive areas with the help of local communities. But state did not accept it. None of the authorities tried to convince people in the area over Gadgil report. So people were also against it. That was a failure of government as well as other concerned organisations. We implemented some other recommendations which were not suitable for the environment.”

He added that water raising in dams will not cause a big issue and that discussions on environmental concerns are needed. “Quarrying is a major reason for environmental hazards like landslides. Apart from that, buildings in environmentally sensitive areas are also a reason. Resorts, hotels and religious institutions built on such areas destroying the nature can also contribute to a disaster,” he said.

He also said that learning from this experience the state should give priority to environment hereafter.

Dr. C.M. Joy, environmental activist and a retired college professor alleged that people who are engaged in quarrying and illegal encroachment of forest land are the ones that lobbied against the Gadgil Committee report.

“All these districts that were badly affected have got wide range of quarries, both legal and illegal. Underground is a huge source of water. But doing unscientific constructions, mining and quarrying, the soil that covers this water storage been removed. This causes pressure, which results in land slide or mudslide,” he said.

He added that quarrying also causes tremors. “There are more than 1500 illegal crusher and quarrying units in Kerala. Apart from that, illegal buildings appear in water zone areas, so a heavy rain can cause flood. We humans are responsible for all these,” he said.

https://india.mongabay.com/2018/08/15/kerala-floods-the-ghost-of-past-environment-policy-returns/

https://twitter.com/x/status/1029994971045265410

 

[manlion]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1030006236123725824

flood in Kodagu Karnataka

https://twitter.com/x/status/1030044717445271553

 

[Rollno21]

Literally Kerala is under water

 

[manlion]

Heavy rain pounds Karnataka, flood alert in affected districts

https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...d-districts/story-kLmd7hPJMv0u2qh4tYL34L.html

 

[manlion]

https://www.facebook.com/

https://twitter.com/x/status/1030333864277770242

https://twitter.com/x/status/1030340484495896576

Kerala death toll rises to 167

how can sanghis lump pro India Kerala with Tamilnadu, Kashmir or Bengal ?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1029895058013573120

 

[Daghalodi]

Omg!!!!

I hope situation gets better and people are safe