At least 25 died in severe floods in several districts of Kerala. Several are trapped in Idukki and Kottayam districts of Kerala which are the worst affected. The primary reason for the flooding is a low pressure area over the south-eastern Arabian Sea and Kerala, reported The Guardian on Monday.

Floods in Kerala have been a recurring phenomenon over the years. Similar flood-like situations have happened in the southern state in 2018 when at least 400 people had died. 

As per a report by BBC there was controversy over the fact that dams were opened without any warning to people living in low-lying areas in the 2018 floods. “Kerala’s chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the committee will decide which dams need to be opened,” said the report by BBC. 

As per an official statement by the CM, district collectors will be notified hours before opening the dams so that local people have enough time to evacuate.

Military helicopters are being flown in the flood prone areas to send supplies to the trapped people as well as to provide aid in evacuating them.

As per news reports, 184 relief camps have been set up across the state, where over 8,000 people are being provided with basic necessities.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted on Sunday saying that the authorities are working on the ground to assist the injured and affected.

In another tweet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families.

Many natural structures such as lakes and wetlands have lessened in several areas of Kerala due to construction and urbanisation. Environmentalists suspect that this could be a major cause of the natural calamity in Kerala where flooding and landslides seems to be becoming a repetitive phenomenon.

As per the Times of India, Indian Meteorological Department informed that a fresh spell of easterly wave is likely to affect southern Peninsular India from October 20 and cause fairly widespread rainfall with isolated heavy falls over Kerala. Isolated but very heavy rainfall is also predicted to continue over Kerala on October 21 and 22.