THIRUVNANTHAPURAM: As a murderous monsoon savaged Kerala claiming 106 lives on a single day on Thursday, the state plunged deeper into misery on Friday with hospitals facing shortage of oxygen and fuel stations running dry, officials said. The deadliest deluge in close to a century has claimed 342 lives since August 8, and dealt a body blow to the scenic state, wrecking its tourism industry, destroying standing crops in thousands of hectares and inflicting huge damage to infrastructure.
Over 80,000 persons, stranded in various places, were rescued today, of whom 71,000 were from one of the worst affected Aluva region of Ernakulam district. Personnel of the three services, besides the National Disaster Response Force resumed the gigantic task of evacuating people stranded on rooftops, highlands where hills came crashing down blocking roads and cutting them off from the rest of the world, and those marooned in villages that have turned into islands.
Many persons, including women, children and the elderly trapped in places inaccessible by boats were winched up by defence helicopters and shifted to safety. Over 2.3 lakh people are currently lodged in 1,568 relief camps set up across the Kerala Desperate non-resident Keralites from Australia, the US and the UK were making fervent pleas to authorities through television channels seeking help for their dear ones.
Soumya from Australia said her parents and their relatives were stranded in Aluva for the past two days. Another said an elderly relative Mary Varghese was badly in need of an oxygen cylinder and her condition was worsening. In a WhatsApp video, a stranded woman with her 6-year-old child was seen pleading for help. “We have no food or water. Please help us.” Officials said many private hospitals in Ernakulam district are running out of oxygen, forcing the authorities to shift patients to nearby facilities.
Many had to be evacuated after flood water entered hospitals. Quite a few petrol pumps, even in places like the state capital Thiruvananthapuram, which has escaped the monsoon fury to some extent, have run dry. Long queues of motorists were seen at several fuel stations in Thiruvananthapuram district.
