Over 100 killed in Kerala floods in just one day; death toll touches 173

Kerela Flood Relief - More than 100 people died in rain-related incidents in Kerala in just one day on Thursday, sources in the State Disaster Management Authority said, even as defence forces scaled up operations this morning to rescue those stranded in the worst-hit areas.

The toll for Thursday, initially put at 30, has now been revised to 106, the sources said, which takes the overall fatalities to 173 since the second spell of monsoon fury unleashed itself on August 8.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to reach Kerala on Friday evening after the funeral of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He is likely to undertake an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas on Saturday.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had on Thursday said 23 more helicopters will join the rescue operations on Friday and 200 additional boats will also be pressed into service.

Around 3,000 people were rescued from Ernakulam and Pathanamthitta districts on Thursday.

Several people are stranded in buildings in various districts. Many of them, including children, were rescued from various waterlogged areas.

Mumbai building collapse: 12 killed, 14 injured, 30 others feared trapped

MUMBAI BUILDING COLLAPSE - A five-storey residential building in the congested Bhendi Bazar area of south Mumbai collapsed today, killing at least 12 people and injuring 14 others, officials said. About 30 others were feared trapped.

Fire brigade officials said some nine families lived in the dilapidated Husaini Building. Some media reports said it also housed a play school but children had not arrived yet when the tragedy occurred.

The building, mostly housing lower-middle class families, was located in the Muslim-dominated Pakmodia Street near the J J Hospital.

The building, which also had six godowns on the ground floor, crumbled at around 8:30 am. It's not clear if the heavy rains that inundated Mumbai this week had weakened the building, said to be over 100 years old.

What remained was a large mound of concrete rubble and steel rods encircled by other houses including what appeared to be a tall building. Rescue workers in hard hats clambered up the mound and hammered at concrete slabs with hammers to reach underneath. Cranes and bulldozers were also deployed to scoop up the debris. Residents helped with bare hands.

"The exact number of trapped people cannot be known immediately," deputy commissioner of police (Zone 1) Manoj Sharma said.

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