The Indian state of Kerala is suffering the worst monsoon in nearly a century, which has killed over 324 people and left at least 220,000 homeless—and the numbers are expected to rise.
"We are witnessing something that has never happened before in the history of Kerala," Pinarayi Vijayan, the Kerala chief minister, said on Friday, according to The Guardian.
Trains were shut down in the city of Kochi due to flooding, while Cochin International Airport announced that all flights would be suspended until at least Saturday.
"Almost all dams are now opened. Most of our water treatment plants are submerged. Motors are damaged," Vijayan said, according to the BBC.
Mobile phone networks are down and roads have been left buried by landslides due to rain that has been falling since last week. At least 1,200 camps have been opened by the state to take in those who have been left homeless. So far, more than 150,000 people have moved into these tents.
The monsoon season in India started in June, but Kerala has been hit with 37 percent more rainfall according to the India Meteorological Department.
"Had a telephone conversation with Kerala CM Shri Pinarayi Vijayan just now. We discussed the flood situation across the state and reviewed rescue operations. Later this evening, I will be heading to Kerala to take stock of the unfortunate situation due to flooding," India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted on Thursday.
Had a telephone conversation with Kerala CM Shri Pinarayi Vijayan just now. We discussed the flood situation across the state and reviewed rescue operations.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 17, 2018
Later this evening, I will be heading to Kerala to take stock of the unfortunate situation due to flooding. @CMOKerala
He later tweeted on Friday that he was "Leaving for Kerala to take stock of the flood situation in the state"
Leaving for Kerala to take stock of the flood situation in the state.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 17, 2018
Thousands are still helpless with nowhere to go, as the military has deployed aircraft and ships in an effort to save those who are stranded.
"The magnitude of this calamity is fairly large and that is really stretching all the relief and rescue efforts that are going on," Parvinder Singh, the communications manager for the Indian Red Cross, told Al Jazeera. "Relief and rescue efforts have really gained momentum over the last 48 hours, particularly with the army, navy, air force and the National Disaster Response Force stepping in."
On Thursday, the Defense Ministry said in a statement that the armed forces had rescued more than 3,000 people in 12 districts of Kerala. Thus far, more than 900 people have been killed during this year's monsoon season in India.
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