ALAPPUZHA: Even the government machinery and forces are making all efforts to rescue the people, still thousands of people including children, students, pregnant women and elderly people remain stranded in Chengannur and Kuttanad clamouring for saving their lives.Chengannur and Kuttanad taluks have been completely isolated in Alappuzha following heavy rain and flood. The rescue boats and helicopters could not reach many places due to the strong flow of water and heavy flood in Chengannur. The shortage of the rescue teams and boats also affected the rescue operations. At least 64470 people were shifted to 245 relief camps in the district on Friday. Over 2000 stranded people were rescued from Kuttanad. The five teams of National Disaster Response Force have started rescue activities in the district. When two NDRF teams are indulging in rescue activities in Chengannur, three teams are rescuing people from Kuttanad.The district administration informed that they were using 80 houseboats, over 100 motor boats and jankars for rescuing people from Kuttanad on Friday morning to evening. Finance Minister T M Thoams Isaac, who was leading the rescue operations in Kuttanad said, the situation in Kuttanad is very bad and the rescue operation is going well. "The government and forces deployed more than 200 boats for rescue in Kuttanad. The government directed the police to seize houseboats, following some of the houseboat owners refused to send their boats for rescue activities We expect that the evacuation process can be completed by evening from Kuttanad," district collector S Suhas said.The rescue operations were kicked off in Chengannur early morning. Four helicopters were conducting rescue operations here on Friday. Over 41 fishing boats were conducting rescue operations in various parts of Chengannur. The district administration also sent 19 country mad boats for rescue activities. Water level kept going up creating panic among people in the region after the shutters of the Kakki, Anathodu and Kochu Pampa reservoirs, part of the Sabarigiri hydroelectric project, in Pathanamthitta district were opened. The strength of the rain has come down on Friday. However, the level of flood waters keeps increasing. Chengannur, Pandanadu, Edanadu, Thiruvanvandoor, Vazhar, Mangalam. Veeyappuram, Cheruthana, Pathiyoor, Pallippad Mangalam, Edanad, Puthankavu, Pandanad, Kallisserry are flooded for the past two days after rivers breached their banks. It is very pathetic and horrible seen the elderly people, children and pregnant women are requesting for saving their lives and many of them are staying on the terrace and roof of homes. The relatives of the stranded people working outside of state and country were seen crying through social media for rescuing the stranded people from Chengannur. However, many areas remain inaccessible for the rescue workers due to heavy flow of water and flood till Friday evening. PWD minister G Sudhakaran, who is leading rescue operation in Chengannur, directed the district administration to prepare a list of the stranded people in Chengannur and islands in the district. Special official teams should be deployed for rescue operations exclusively for Chengannur and Kuttanad. The minister said the rescue operation is nearing completion and more attention should be given to Chengannur,’’ the minister said.The district administration has directed all petrol bunks to preserve at least 10000 litre diesel as buffer stock for utilsing for rescue operation. The shortage of fuels was created hindrance to rescue operations, officials said.In the wake of water level started to rise in Vembanad Lake, the 90 shutters of Thanneermukkom bund further raised to 40 centimetres from the existing five meters. It will help the speedy flow of flood water to the Arabian sea.

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