India's Kerala state witnesses worst floods in century

A man rescues a drowning man as monsoon rains cause flash floods and landslides in the southern Indian state of Kerala. More than 200,000 people have been forced to take shelter in relief camps.

Witnesses say that looking down on towns in flooded Kerala is like looking down on a sea dotted with houses and cars in muddy flood waters. Rescue teams, including military personnel, have stepped up efforts to evacuate thousands of people trapped by the waters.

People are being evacuated after authorities opened the gates of Idamalayar, Cheruthoni and Mullaperiyar dams to prevent potentially disastrous breaches. Authorities have taken the unprecedented step of opening the floodgates of 80 water reservoirs so far.

Hundreds of troops have led a desperate operation to rescue families trapped by rising floods. Helicopters have been used to airlift stranded victims from rooftops and to drop food and water packages in the worst-affected areas.

Heavy rains over the past eight days triggered flooding, landslides and home and bridge collapses, severely disrupting air and train services in Kerala state, a popular tourist destination. Landslides have also contributed to the death toll.

Monsoon rains kill hundreds of people every year in India. The season runs from June to September. Kerala has been hit with 37 percent more rainfall than normal since the beginning of this monsoon, the Meteorological Department said.

With heavy rains stopping after a week, rescuers moved quickly to take people marooned by floods to 1,500 state-run camps. With the weather department expecting rains to continue into the weekend, the state remains on high alert.