Home India Kerala floods HIGHLIGHTS: Rescue work enters last leg, death toll climbs to 231

Kerala floods HIGHLIGHTS: Rescue work enters last leg, death toll climbs to 231

Kerala rains and floods HIGHLIGHTS: The Indian Railway has restored all the tracks affected with heavy flash floods, landslips, boulder falling on track etc in divisions of Southern Railway, a PIB press release stated.

An elderly woman gets rescued by Indian Army in Paravur, Cochin on Monday. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran, 20th August 2018, Cochin.)

The Indian Railway has restored all the tracks affected with heavy flash floods, landslips, boulder falling on track etc in divisions of Southern Railway, a PIB press release stated. In another development, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced Tuesday the UAE has offered Rs 700 crore towards Kerala flood relief.

Meanwhile, the state cabinet has suggested Governor P Sathasivam hold a special assembly session on August 30 to discuss post-flood discussion over relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction of Kerala. Earlier today, the state government scheduled for an all-party meeting at 4 pm Tuesday.

Opening doors in support for Kerala, the Centre has declared the floods in the state as a calamity of “severe nature”, paving the way for national assistance in various forms, officials said. The central government has also scaled up the relief and rescue operations. More than 43,000 persons have been rescued so far, out of which around 600 people were rescued on Monday. And 12.47 lakh people are lodged in relief camps.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday declared that the first phase of the rescue mission had reached its finality and the next phase would focus on intensifying relief and rehabilitation.

A step-by-step guide on how you can donate to the Kerala CM’s relief fund

Live Blog Kerala floods and rains: After 13 days of rain and flooding, Centre declares the calamity as 'severe'. Follow LIVE updates. Read in MALAYALAM

Kerala floods: Meanwhile, 22,000 people were rescued by state rescuers and fishermen Sunday and thirteen new deaths were reported due to the floods. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran) Kerala floods: State governments including Assam, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh and more have lent out financial help to Kerala. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu announced Monday that he would donate his one month's salary towards the relief work and the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra also announced that Supreme Court would contribute to Kerala flood relief fund. Apart from the Legislature and the Judiciary, help has been provided from abroad as well. The Indian Diaspora in China in association with the Malayalee Association has raised over Rs. 14 lakh. ALSO READ | Rain abates, focus now on relief | Kerala tragedy partly man made: Expert behind Western Ghats report | In one of the worst-hit areas in Kerala, people ignore pleas by rescue teams

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