Kerala floods: 324 people dead in 'worst disaster in 100 years'

Thousands still thought to be stranded as relief effort continues across southern Indian state

The death toll of Kerala’s worst flood for more than a century has risen to 324, a senior politician in the Indian state has announced.

Kerala’s chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, added in a statement more than 200,000 people had now been displaced by torrential rain that began nine days ago.

“Kerala is facing its worst flood in 100 years,” he said on Twitter on Friday: “80 dams opened, 324 lives lost and 223,139 people are in [more than] 1,500 relief camps.”

Thousands of people are still thought to be stranded on rooftops across the southern Indian state, with rescuers struggling to reach all of those in need by air.

“I spoke to the defence minister this morning and asked for more helicopters,” Mr Vijayan told Indian broadcaster NDTV, adding he planned to send 11 more aircraft to the worst-hit areas.

“In some areas, airlifting is the only option, thousands are still marooned.”

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi said on Friday afternoon he would travel to Kerala to “take stock” of the flood situation.

Dozens of relief teams made up of armed services personnel are engaged in the rescue effort and hundreds of boats have been drafted in to help search for survivors.

Meanwhile, hospitals where many injured in the disaster would be expecting to receive treatment are struggling to provide care.

In the areas worst affected by the floods, many medical centres are reportedly running a skeleton service or have been forced to close.

Dr Anil Vasudevan, a senior state government official, told Indian news website Firstpost hospitals had been advised to do their best by moving patients to higher floors.

“We have instructed district medical officers to manage the situation at their level,” he said.

“They have been asked to divert the patients needing intensive care to nearby government facilities if they cannot be accommodated in a particular hospital. No patient will be denied treatment.

“The situation is bad in many hospitals. Several doctors and staff have been deployed in the relief camps.

“The deployment has been done in such a way that it will not affect the normal functioning of the hospitals.”

Monsoon floods have hit 12 of Kerala’s 14 districts with fears more incoming rain over the weekend could push water levels higher.

Indian army personnel evacuate residents (AFP/Getty)

Hundreds of properties are thought to have been destroyed by the flooding and crops across 80,000 acres of land have been damaged, according to India’s home ministry.

Hundreds of people across the country die each year during the rainy season, which runs from June to September.

This year more than 1,000 people have lost their lives in seven states since the monsoon rains began.

Some 407 people have died in Kerala, 190 in Uttar Pradesh, 183 people in West Bengal and 139 in Maharashtra, while dozens more have also been killed in Gujarat, Assam and Nagaland.