Floods kill 98, displace thousands across India

By Shuriah Niazi

NEW DELHI (AA) – At least 98 people have lost their lives in floods in four Indian states, as thousands of people have been evacuated to safer places after heavy rains and landslides, according to official data released by different state governments on Saturday.

42 people have died in southern state of Kerala in rain-related incidents after flooding and landslides, said Pinarayi Vijayan, chief minister of Kerala. According to the figures released by the state government, 107,699 people were shifted to 988 relief camps across the state.

In neighbouring Karnataka, the situation is not any better. 24 people have died due to floods in the state, said chief minister BS Yeddyurappa. He has also described it as the worst floods in 45 years.

The Karnataka government has estimated loss to crops and public and private property owing to floods at around $1 billion and decided to seek immediate relief of $451 million from the central government.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday visited flood-affected Kolhapur and Sangli districts, said an official release. Earlier he also said that 15 more teams of the Indian Navy were deployed to assist in the rescue operations.

The flood situation is improving in two districts of Kolhapur and Sangli in western Maharashtra, however, it would take at least two to three days for the water to recede completely, said an official.

At least 29 people have lost their lives in Maharashtra state in the last week because of flood related incidents, said state government figures.

More than 200,000 people have been evacuated from five districts of the state after heavy rains and floods.

In Gujarat, chief minister Vijay Rupani held a meeting on Saturday, with senior officials to discuss the flood situation in the state.

Another three people died in Gujarat when a building collapsed in Kheda's Nadiad area. The building collapsed late on Friday night due to heavy rain in the area, said officials.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday had issued a warning of "heavy to very heavy rainfall" over the next two days in the state.