Kerala's monsoon floods have killed 20 people and displaced thousands. Rescue operations continue across affected districts as the disaster also fuels a political row over the state's flood response.
Kerala is once again battling one of its most severe monsoon disasters in recent years.
Days of relentless rainfall have triggered flash floods, overflowing rivers, landslides, and widespread inundation across several districts, forcing thousands of people to leave their homes and seek shelter in relief camps.
The floods officially began on Friday night, July 31, 2026, when a spell of extreme, heavy rain started battering the state.
The situation rapidly intensified by Saturday morning, August 01, 2026, as parts of central and southern Kerala experienced near cloudburst conditions.
Single-day rain totals exceeded 300 mm, immediately triggering widespread flash floods and river overflows.
The districts that have reported the most severe impact include:
Pathanamthitta
Kottayam
Idukki
Alappuzha
Kozhikode
Parts of Wayanad
Floodwaters submerged homes, roads, agricultural fields, and commercial establishments, while landslides blocked highways and damaged infrastructure in several hilly areas.
Major trading hubs like Ranni in Pathanamthitta have faced severe inundation, leaving key infrastructure underwater.
Massive runoff from the high ranges has pushed the Meenachil, Pamba, and Manimala rivers beyond their danger levels.
Residents in low-lying taluks report water levels rising faster and higher than during the catastrophic 2018 deluge.
Thousands of small businesses and traders have suffered devastating losses after shocking goods ahead of the Onam festival market.
The death toll of Kerala floods has risen to 20 people.
According to reports from the state government, widespread flash floods, severe mudslides, and heavy waterlogging over the last few days are responsible for these fatalities.
Emergency workers and disaster response teams are actively conducting search operations for several individuals who are still missing.
To support those affected, the state administration announced a compensation package providing ₹8 lakh to the families of the deceased, along with immediate financial assistance to those displaced to help clear flooded homes once the water recedes.
The state government has set up hundreds of relief camps, dispatching teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local police to rescue stranded citizens.
While the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has eased the extreme red warnings down to isolated yellow and orange alerts, a high state of caution remains for high-range and coastal erosion zones.
Educational institutions have declared holidays across heavily affected districts like Wayanad, Kozhikode, and Idukki.
The opposition led by the CPI(M) and former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan accused the Chief Minister of neglecting on-the-ground flood management to attend private functions and misuse state-leased transport.
Left leaders criticized the Chief Minister of Kerala, V.D. Satheesan, for allegedly attending a "lunch party" or feast at a Muslim Youth League leader's residence in Ponnani. At the same time, parts of the state were heavily flooded.
Satheesan clarified he had a normal meal at a friend's house after a long morning of reviewing flood developments.
He took a sharp, sarcastic dig at his critics, stating: "I had lunch at 3:00 PM. Was I not supposed to eat? What exactly is my mistake?... I have only now realized that a Chief Minister should not eat food in such situations."
He mockingly questioned whether the previous Chief Minister had observed a fast during the 2018 and 2019 floods.
The opposition alleged the CM used the state-leased helicopter for a personal visit to Kochi to see his ailing father-in-law, contradicting his past stance where he called helicopter leasing the "height of extravagance".
Satheesan stated the trip was entirely for official state business to hold urgent talks with an investment delegation that had arrived from Tamil Nadu.
He noted that he originally booked a Vande Bharat train ticket but had to switch to the helicopter due to the investors' tight schedule.
He emphasized that the trip did not cost the government an extra rupee. The helicopter is on a fixed monthly contract of ₹80 lakh for 25 flying hours, meaning the state pays the same amount regardless of use.
He then hit back at Pinarayi Vijayan, claiming the former CM used State Disaster Response Funds (SDRF) to fly to party conferences.
Satheesan maintained that his office had been actively coordinating relief measures from 5:00 AM daily with the Revenue Minister, Chief Secretary, and District Collectors.
He rejected accusations of systemic administrative failure, adding that field assignments had been systematically delegated to district-level ministers to optimize local rescue operations.
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