“What prevails in Kerala is not a situation that is going out of control,” the state’s chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, said. “Things have improved a lot.”
Kerala frequently floods during the monsoon season, but 250% more rain fell than usual in the week to 15 August, forcing authorities to open the floodgates of dangerously full dams.
The extent of the damage will remain unclear until the floodwaters subside, but Vijayan said at least 83,000km (51,570 miles) of roads would need to be repaired. About 20,000 homes and 40,000 hectares (98,800 acres) of crops are also said to have been destroyed.
More than 4,000 relief camps have been established across Kerala and disaster management officials said they were now focused on preventing the outbreak of water-borne diseases.
Some residents in less affected cities such as Kochi have begun returning to their homes to assess the damage. “The entire house is covered with mud,” TP Johnny, a resident of the city, told Reuters. “All our household articles, including the TV and fridge, have been destroyed.”
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