• People wait for aid on the roof of their house in Kerala, India. Reuters
    People wait for aid on the roof of their house in Kerala, India. Reuters
  • An aerial view shows partially submerged houses at a flooded area in Kerala. Reuters
    An aerial view shows partially submerged houses at a flooded area in Kerala. Reuters
  • Partially submerged houses in Kerala. Reuters
    Partially submerged houses in Kerala. Reuters
  • Partially submerged houses and church in Kerala. Reuters
    Partially submerged houses and church in Kerala. Reuters
  • Indian Navy soldiers airlift residents during a rescue operation. Reuters
    Indian Navy soldiers airlift residents during a rescue operation. Reuters
  • A sick man waits to be airlifted by the Indian Navy soldiers. Reuters
    A sick man waits to be airlifted by the Indian Navy soldiers. Reuters
  • People help a woman disembark from an Indian Navy helicopter at a relief camp. Reuters
    People help a woman disembark from an Indian Navy helicopter at a relief camp. Reuters
  • Volunteers and rescue personal evacuate local residents in Ernakulam district. AFP
    Volunteers and rescue personal evacuate local residents in Ernakulam district. AFP
  • Passengers travel in a truck to a safer place in Ernakulam district. AFP
    Passengers travel in a truck to a safer place in Ernakulam district. AFP
  • Army personal evacuate local residents in Ernakulam district. AFP
    Army personal evacuate local residents in Ernakulam district. AFP
  • Volunteers and rescue personal evacuate local residents in Ernakulam district. AFP
    Volunteers and rescue personal evacuate local residents in Ernakulam district. AFP

NASA images show Kerala before and after devastating floods


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Images released by NASA show the devastation "once in a century" floods have left on Kerala in southern India.

The American space agency release two photographs, one from February 6, and the other from August 22 this year.

The second photo reveals huge swathes of land submerged from the floods which killed over 400 people.

Two photographs were taken in space, the first by the Landsat 8 satellite, and the second by the European Space Agency's Sentinel-2.

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Both of the images are in "false-colour", which makes flood water appear dark blue, and vegetation bright green.

The UAE has a large population of expatriate resident families from Kerala and has assisted in mitigating the damage from the floods by sending aid.

Kerala, a popular destination among tourists seeking dramatic coastlines and unspoilt beaches, has been battered by record monsoon rains this year.

Roads were ripped up by the flooding, while mobile phone networks were destroyed and more than one million people displaced.

Many died in the tragedy or their homes were buried by landslides triggered by the continuing downpours.

The result has left many UAE residents who flew out to India to enjoy their summer holiday stranded and unable to make the journey home.

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Read more:

'When there's disaster, people unite': UAE's rich and poor unite to help Kerala flood victims

Snakes warning as Kerala's floods recede

UAE 'stands with Indian people' after Kerala floods, says Sheikh Mohammed

Flood toll in India's Kerala rises to 445