Kerala flood death toll rises to 18 as rains ease, relief efforts continue
Heavy rains that have battered Kerala for three consecutive days began to lose intensity on Monday, even as the official death toll from rain-related incidents climbed to 18. Three people remain missing, according to state government figures.
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, who chaired an emergency meeting on Monday morning to review the situation, said most districts were now under control following the decline in rainfall. However, he cautioned that rescue and relief operations would continue in affected areas, particularly in Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts.
A total of 13,496 people are currently staying in 363 relief camps across the state. Teams from the Fire and Rescue Services and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in the worst-hit areas. Fourteen rescue boats have been brought to Chengannur from Kollam, while two helicopters have been deployed in Thiruvananthapuram for emergency operations. The state has also requested two additional NDRF teams from Arakkonam.
Floodwaters have begun receding in parts of Pathanamthitta. The government has made preparations to air-drop food packets to people stranded in isolated areas. The Chief Minister urged residents in vulnerable locations to follow instructions and relocate immediately when advised by authorities.
Announcing the compensation package, the government said families of the deceased will receive ₹8 lakh, with an immediate assistance of ₹10,000 for funeral expenses. Families returning from relief camps will get ₹10,000 to clean their houses. For ration card-holding families that lost their livelihoods, ₹300 each will be provided to two members. Assistance for purchasing land and constructing a house has been increased from ₹10 lakh to ₹12 lakh, while compensation for those who lost their houses completely has been raised from ₹4 lakh to ₹6 lakh.
Officials said the flooding was triggered by extremely heavy rainfall, with some places recording more than 350 mm of rain. The Chief Minister clarified that no major dams had been opened because of the rainfall. Only smaller dams with lower storage capacity, such as Moozhiyar, released water. The current storage level in the Idukki reservoir is 38.91%, while Idamalayar stands at 46.64%. Smaller dams will be opened only with the approval of the respective district collectors. He also warned that strict action would be taken against those spreading false information about dam openings.
According to preliminary assessments, crops on 165 hectares have been damaged, affecting 3,596 farmers. The Chief Minister said compensation for crop losses would be enhanced, with a decision expected at the next Cabinet meeting. He also announced that the Disaster Management Resilience Programme would be strengthened in collaboration with institutions, including Cochin University, to improve weather forecasting. The government will also take steps to remove silt and sand deposited in rivers and dams.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for 12 districts for Tuesday, warning of intense heavy rainfall. Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam are under a yellow alert, with isolated heavy rain expected. A holiday has been declared for educational institutions in Thrissur, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Alappuzha, and Pathanamthitta on Tuesday.
