India’s army is stepping up efforts to rescue thousands of people stranded by flooding across India’s southern Kerala state that has killed 324 people.
Hundreds of troops, and dozens of boats and helicopters are helping to evacuate people from what officials say is the worst flooding there in a century.
Many people are still believed to be trapped on rooftops of flooded homes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier flew over the worst-hit sites and met state officials to discuss the crisis.
Weeks of heavy monsoon rains triggered landslides and floods, with more forecast and a red alert in place. Strong winds are also predicted for Saturday and Sunday.
Across India close to 1,000 people have been killed in the current rainy season, which began in June, officials say.
Prime Minister Modi flew to Cochin early on Saturday where he chaired a meeting of officials, before conducting an aerial survey of the worst affected areas.
The international airport there is closed because of flooding on the runway.
#WATCH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducts an aerial survey of flood affected areas. PM has announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh per person to the next kin of the deceased and Rs.50,000 to those seriously injured, from PM’s National Relief Funds (PMNRF). #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/T6FYNVLmMu
— ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2018
