Kerala monsoon floods kill 25, displace over 18,000 as red alerts hit eight districts

Heavy monsoon rains across Kerala have caused severe flooding, resulting in at least 25 deaths and four missing persons. More than 18,000 residents have been moved to over 400 relief camps, with the worst‑affected districts being Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for these eight districts, an orange alert for four others and a yellow alert for the remaining two. Rainfall totals between August 1‑4 reached 205.8 mm, roughly three times the normal 73.2 mm, with some locations recording over 120 mm in a single day. Kerala Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan announced immediate financial assistance of Rs 10,000 per affected household and allocated Rs 25,000 for cleaning work in each ward. Relief operations involve police, fire services, disaster response forces and volunteers, providing food, water and shelter. The monsoon also affected neighboring Assam, where floods have claimed 66 lives. The IMD issued red alerts for Assam, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh as the broader weather system continues.