NEW DELHI: Amid the deadliest deluge in Kerala in close to a century, an MLA broke down on Friday while making a vehement appeal for help on a local TV channel.

Saji Cherian, who represents Chengannur , broke into tears while narrating the grim situation in his constituency and urged the authorities to provide a helicopter to evacuate the people stranded in floods.

"Please give us a helicopter. I am begging you. Please help me, people in my place will die. Please help us. There is no other solution, people have to be airlifted," Cherian said. He expressed fear that floods have claimed at least 50 people in the town.

"We did what we can with fishing boats we procured using our political clout. But we can't do more," he said.

Chengannur is one of the worst affected areas in flood-hit Kerala. Particular fears have been raised for Chengannur, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram, which has been cut off for four days.

Rescuers in helicopters and boats fought through renewed torrential rain Saturday to reach stranded villages . Dozens of military and coastguard helicopters took troops to high risk areas seeking people trapped on the roofs of submerged buildings.

With power and communication lines down, thousands remained trapped in towns and villages cut off by the floods amid growing shortages of food and water.

(With inputs from AFP)Kerala floods: Chengannur MLA breaks down on TV, pleads for help

