This Article is From Aug 16, 2018

Focus on Ernakulam, Kochi as Navy Rushes Reinforcements For Kerala Floods

Twenty-one rescue and diving teams of the Navy with Gemini boats have gone to Kerala.

Focus on Ernakulam, Kochi as Navy Rushes Reinforcements For Kerala Floods

Seven teams have been deployed in Kerala's Ernakulam district

Kochi:

The floods in Kerala worsening over the last 24 hours and costing the 25 more lives, the Southern Naval Command has suspended all training and rushed all available personnel to Kerala for rescue operations. The forces have been deployed in a couple of the worst-hit areas -- Ernakulum and Trichur. The Air Force has also started air-lifting stranded people as roads to several crucial tourist destinations -- Munnar , Sabarimala and Ponmudi - got submerged in flood waters.  The Coast Guard also deployed six teams with Gemini boats across the flood hit areas of Ernakulam.

Floods have practically affected every district of Kerala, with the central and southern districts of Idukki, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Pathanamthitha, Alappuzha and Thiruvananthapuram being the worst-hit.

Twenty-one rescue and diving teams of the Navy with Gemini boats have gone to the state. In Ernakulum, forces have been deployed in a dozen spots, including Aluva, Kottayam and Edapally.

Aluva has been one of the worst-affected areas, with the Aluva Manappuram -- the famous banks of the Periyar river -- and the Shiva temple completely submerged.

Seven teams have been deployed in Ernakulam district. One team is set up on Pizhala Island and is continuously patrolling the flood-hit area and interacting with the locals.

Five teams were deployed at different places in Wayanad district - two of them at Thalapuzha, and one each at Porunnannur and Anchukunnu. The Wayanad team is helping with the relief work while the rest are conducting rescue operations.

Three teams deployed around Perumbavur were able to rescue more than 45 stranded people and is carrying out further relief operations. Two diving teams have been sent to North Paravur.

The NDRF teams have conducted night-long rescue operations after receiving a stream of distress calls from south Kerala's Pathanamthitta district, from places like Ranni, Kozhunchery and Aranmula.

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