Flood situation worsens in Kerala. Red Alert issued in 4 districts due to heavy rains. Situation in flood ravaged Assam and Bihar improves. Four people have died and three, including two fishermen from Tamil Nadu, are still missing as rains continued to lash Kerala, with red alert being sounded in Kasargod, Idukki, Kozhikode and Kannur districts till July 23. The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a red alert in Kozhikode, Wayanad and Kannur districts, and predicted extremely heavy rain fall during the day on Monday. Central and southern districts are also expected to receive heavy rainfall over the next five days and are on orange alert. The weatherman has also issued orange alert in Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Malappuram till July 25. Shutters of Pambla, Peringalkuthu, Kallarkutty, Bhooththankettu and Malankara dams in Idukki Districts are opened. The rains have caused a flood-like situation in many parts of the state. In Assam, with the respite from downpour in the last few days, flood situation has improved significantly in the state. However, major river Brahmaputra in Jorhat, Goalpara and Dhubri districts along with Dhansiri River in Golaghat district and Kopili River in Nagaon district are flowing above danger marks maintaining a receding trend at the same time. Eighteen of the state’s 33 districts still remain submerged, affecting over 38 lakh people. The floodwater receded in five districts but 2,669 villages, 1.35 lakh hectares of crop land and a portion of the Kaziranga National Park in Golaghat district continued to remain submerged. The death count of animals at the Kaziranga National Park stood at 141. Assam Governor Prof. Jagdish Mukhi and state forest minister Parimal Suklabaidya on Sunday visited flood relief camps in Bokakhat of Golaghat district of the state. The governor took stock of the situation and reviewed the relief and rescue operation being undertaken in the state. Flood situation is also improving in Bihar with water levels in many rivers are receding. Over 72 lakh people in 12 districts were affected by the floods that have hit the state in the wake of torrential rainfall in the catchment areas of neighbouring Nepal. Of the 12 affected districts, Sitamarhi remained the worst-affected, followed by Madhubani, Araria, Sheohar and Darbhanga. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday visited relief camps in Sitamarhi and Darbhanga. Meanwhile Relief and Rescue operations are underway in the flood affected areas.
