Southern India Faces Worst Flooding in a Century

Approximately 800,000 people have been displaced and more than 350 have died in flooding in the southern India state of Kerala. Officials have called the disastrous floods the worst flooding in Kerala in a century, and rainfall in some areas has reached more than double of a typical monsoon season. In some areas, floodwaters up to 10 ft high had entered homes. Flooding and subsequent landslides have damaged buildings and infrastructure across the state, rendering many roads impassable, which has stranded people in need of supplies.

According to the Associated Press, officials estimate that more the 6,200 miles of roads have been damaged and more than $3 billion worth of property damage has occurred. Rescue efforts currently underway to help the nearly 10,000 people still stranded include thousands of rescuers, hundreds of boats and nearly two dozen helicopters. Additionally, approximately 800,000 people have fled to nearly 4,000 relief camps across the state.

The damaged infrastructure also threatened drinking water supplies. On Aug. 19, trains carrying 400,000 gal of drinking water moved to provide relief for flooded areas, according to the Press Trust of India’s news agency. Bringing water to remote areas through damaged roadways remains a challenge.