Roundup: Indian southern states continue to battle floods, red alert sounded
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E-mail Xinhua, August 15, 2018
NEW DELHI, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- India's two southern states Kerala and Karnataka are facing difficult conditions due to floods following incessant rains over the past few days, local media reported Wednesday.
The death toll in Kerala alone has touched 42, reported English daily The Times of India on Wednesday.
Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded a red alert in Kerala where life has been massively hit due to floods, landslides and overflowing rivers. The constant rain has forced authorities to open the gates of 34 reservoirs across the state.
State Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that under the prevailing circumstances his government's priority was to get potable water for people, as water treatment plants had submerged.
"We're witnessing something that has never happened before in the history of Kerala. Almost all dams are opened. Most of our water treatment plants are submerged, motors are damaged. We're keeping all this in mind but our priority is to get drinking water to the people," said the Kerala chief minister on Wednesday.
Similar conditions have been reported from Kerala's neighboring state of Karnataka. State Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy directed senior district officials of Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga districts to be on high alert in view of heavy rainfall. He appealed to concerned district in-charge ministers to review situation in their districts.
Meanwhile, in view of the huge damages caused by the raging floods, the Kerala government has cancelled celebrations of the state's main festival "Onam" which falls on August, 25. The Kerala government, which had earmarked 30 million Indian Rupees for organizing cultural events across the state for Onam festival, has now decided to divert that amount to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund.
"What has occurred in our state has been the worst ever (disaster). A total of 444 villages have been affected. The money set aside for Onam will be used for relief. We seek everyone's help in our efforts," the chief minister was quoted as saying.
Kerala's main Kochi Airport has been shut down for the next few days, according to the Times of India report. Enditem
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