The death toll in five flood-affected states rose to 241 on Friday, with authorities retrieving seven more bodies in Kerala as floodwaters receded from several parts of the worst-hit state, while five casualties were reported from Rajasthan. Over 4,000 people have been moved to relief camps in Guntur and Krishna districts of Andhra Pradesh as the Krishna River is in spate, causing floods and affecting normal life, even as the weather improved in flood-hit western Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, allowing authorities to speed up rescue and relief operations.
So far 111 people have died in rain-related incidents in Kerala, 70 in Madhya Pradesh, 54 in Maharashtra, five in Rajasthan and one in Andhra Pradesh. A red alert warning has been issued for Jodhpur, Nagaur, and Pali in Rajasthan for the next 24 hours, according to the MeT department. The Army has been asked to be vigilant as Kota, Baran, Bhilwara, Jhalawar, and Bundi districts recorded more than 160 mm of rain since Thursday, an official said.
Disaster Management, Support and Civil Protection Department Secretary Ashutosh AT Pedhenkar told PTI that five people were killed in various rain-related incidents in three districts. The MeT department has issued a red weather warning for several districts in Himachal Pradesh and an orange warning for extremely heavy rainfall in the entire state over the weekend. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur at most places in the state on August 17 and 18, Shimla MeT Centre director Manmohan Singh said. The roads might be blocked especially in Chamba, Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti, Kangra, Mandi and Shimla districts due to moderate to heavy rainfall on August 17 and 18, he said.
