Flash floods and landslides have killed 164 people in Kerala in just 10 days, authorities said Friday, as torrential monsoon rains continued to batter the southern Indian state.
The death toll has steadily risen over the past week as rescue workers scramble to reach thousands of people stranded by floodwater. The army, navy and coast guard have been sent in to assist, and fisherman have been asked to help with rescue efforts.
Thirteen of Kerala's 14 districts remain under a red alert, the highest warning level issued during emergencies in India, according to India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), which has deployed 53 teams across the state.
Over a thousand personnel from military and disaster authorities are now involved in the rescue mission. Meanwhile, over 100,000 people have been forced to seek shelter in relief camps, NDRF senior commander Rekha Nambiyar told CNN.
Search and rescue efforts have been further complicated by limited transport; railway tracks and roads are too flooded to use, and operations at the international airport in the city of Kochi have been suspended until Saturday.
Rescue teams have taken to the air instead. Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala's chief minister, tweeted on Thursday asking residents to "stand in open areas on top of buildings and houses" to be airlifted, and said lifeboats and life jackets would be airdropped.
Source: CNN