Rajnath to make aerial survey of flood affected areas of Kerala on Aug 12

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : In view of recent heavy rainfall and incidents of landslides in Kerala, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh accompanied by K J Alphons, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism, and senior officer from the Ministry of Home Affairs will visit flood/landslides affected areas on August 12, 2018.

He will carry out aerial survey of the flood and landslides affected areas and review the search, rescue and relief measures taken by the State Government and other Central Government agencies with the Chief Minister, Ministers of the State Government, Chief Secretary and other senior officers of the Central Agencies and State administration.

During the current South-West monsoon season, various parts of Kerala have been affected by heavy rains/rain oriented calamities of varying degrees and 14 teams of NDRF consisting of 404 rescuers and 31 boats are already deployed in various parts of flood hit districts : Thrissur, Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Wayand, Kozhikode and Idukki to assist the State administration in the relief and rescue operation as well as distribution of essential relief material and to provide medical support to affected people at the time of emergency. So far, NDRF teams have rescued seven people and evacuated 398 others and 12 livestock, according to a PIB release.

In view of possible inundation, NDRF teams are kept on standby at vulnerable locations and keeping close vigil over the situation. Additional teams are also kept as standby at nearest NDRF battalion at Arrakonnam and shall be mobilised, if required. Director General, NDRF, is supervising the ongoing rescue operations.

Besides the NDRF, adequate columns of Army, Navy and Coast Guard, Helicopters of Indian Air Force, Navy & Coast Guard are deployed in the State for assisting State administration in lifting and dropping of essential commodities.