A rescue volunteer who helped in the 2018 floods and 2024 Wayanad landslide tragedy lost his life while saving a man caught in the flood near Meenthully Island in Kannur district on August 1. &nbsp;&nbsp;R Rajesh, who was also a swimming instructor, gave his own life jacket to the person he had just rescued from the swollen Kariangode river, a decision that cost him his life.&nbsp;Rajesh got caught in the current of the swollen Kariangode river while leading 61-year-old Benny, a local resident who got swept away in the floodwaters, back to shore. Rajesh’s body was recovered on Tuesday.&nbsp;Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Wednesday paid tribute to Rajesh while terming the incident as heartbreaking. Satheesan said Rajesh was a dedicated responder who had previously volunteered during past Kerala floods and the Wayanad disaster.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pakistan-army-discards-whatsapp-over-spying-and-data-breach-fears-switches-to-china-s-wechat-1785933108236">Pakistan Army discards WhatsApp over spying and data breach fears, switches to China’s WeChat</a>&nbsp;“Rajesh gave away his own life jacket to save a drowning person in Kannur’s Pulingome before succumbing to the floodwaters. His ultimate sacrifice and selfless love for humanity will forever be remembered. Deepest condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones. His courage lives on,” the CM said in a post on X.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The tragic demise of Rajesh, a swimming instructor who lost his life during flood rescue operations, is deeply heartbreaking. A dedicated responder who previously volunteered during past Kerala floods and the Wayanad disaster, Rajesh gave away his own life jacket to save a… <a href="https://t.co/DXK3ypOx9B">pic.twitter.com/DXK3ypOx9B</a>&mdash; V D Satheesan (@vdsatheesan) <a href="https://x.com/vdsatheesan/status/2084839065212592616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar also condoled the death of Rajesh, a native of Thiruvananthapuram.Chandrasekhar, the BJP MLA from Nemom constituency, said that Rajesh was a hero of the 2018 floods, the 2024 Wayanad disaster and the 2026 floods.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/munir-protege-mohsin-naqvi-s-claim-of-unearthing-huge-scam-triggers-tremors-in-pakistan-s-power-corridors-1785869067161">Munir-protege Mohsin Naqvi’s claim of unearthing huge scam triggers tremors in Pakistan’s power corridors</a>&nbsp;“R Rajesh of Kalliyoor, Thiruvananthapuram, was a rescue volunteer and rappelling instructor who answered the call of duty whenever Kerala needed him. He stepped forward during the 2018 floods. He was among the rescuers during the Wayanad landslide tragedy in 2024. And in 2026, he made the ultimate sacrifice.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A hero of 2018, 2024 and 2026 is no more. R. Rajesh of Kalliyoor, Thiruvananthapuram, was a rescue volunteer and rappelling instructor who answered the call of duty whenever Keralam needed him. He stepped forward during the 2018 floods. He was among the rescuers during the… <a href="https://t.co/mUNaUP4YsP">pic.twitter.com/mUNaUP4YsP</a>&mdash; Rajeev Chandrasekhar 🇮🇳 (@RajeevRC_X) <a href="https://x.com/RajeevRC_X/status/2084846644588359791?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“His courage, selflessness and sacrifice will forever be a part of Kerala’s story. My deepest condolences to his wife Lekshmi, his two young sons Arshan and Abhishek, his parents Rajasekharan and Geetha, and all those who loved him. I pray that his family finds the strength to bear this immeasurable loss,” the BJP leader said in a post.Leader of the Opposition in state assembly Pinarayi Vijayan also condoled the swimming instructor’s death.

R Rajesh gave his own life jacket to the person he had just rescued from the swollen Kariangode river, a decision that cost him his life. Rajesh got caught in the current of the swollen river while leading 61-year-old Benny, who got swept away in the floodwaters, back to shore.

A rescue volunteer who helped in the 2018 floods and 2024 Wayanad landslide tragedy lost his life while saving a man caught in the flood near Meenthully Island in Kannur district on August 1. R Rajesh, who was also a swimming instructor, gave his own life jacket to the person he had just rescued from the swollen Kariangode river, a decision that cost him his life. Rajesh got caught in the current of the swollen Kariangode river while leading 61-year-old Benny, a local resident who got swept away in the floodwaters, back to shore. Rajesh’s body was recovered on Tuesday. Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Wednesday paid tribute to Rajesh while terming the incident as heartbreaking. Satheesan said Rajesh was a dedicated responder who had previously volunteered during past Kerala floods and the Wayanad disaster. Also Read: Pakistan Army discards WhatsApp over spying and data breach fears, switches to China’s WeChat “Rajesh gave away his own life jacket to save a drowning person in Kannur’s Pulingome before succumbing to the floodwaters. His ultimate sacrifice and selfless love for humanity will forever be remembered. Deepest condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones. His courage lives on,” the CM said in a post on X.

R Rajesh gave his own life jacket to the person he had just rescued from the swollen Kariangode river, a decision that cost him his life. Rajesh got caught in the current of the swollen river while leading 61-year-old Benny, who got swept away in the floodwaters, back to shore.

Kerala hero dies after giving his life jacket to save 61-year-old in Kannur

Heavy rain triggered landslips, flash floods, and widespread destruction, particularly in hilly regions, claiming the lives of at least 8 people in Kerala. The rain-related incidents occurred in the state as a spell of heavy rain battered the State from Friday (July 31, 2026) night into Saturday (August 1, 2026). Over 500 people have been shifted to relief camps as rescue operations continue.&nbsp;The destruction followed a month after a deadly debris slip occurred due to extreme rainfall, claiming the lives of eight people at a tunnel construction site in Wayanad. Meanwhile, Chief Minister VD Satheeshan contacted the Revenue Minister, the Chief Secretary, and the District Collectors in the wake of the heavy rains continuing across Kerala and multiple reports of landslips and mudslides in some places in the state.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-mps-protest-in-parliament-over-jharkhand-paper-leak-as-student-agitation-swell-in-state-what-exactly-happened-1785630355416">BJP MPs protest in Parliament over Jharkhand paper leak as student agitation swell in state: What exactly happened?</a><h3>Orange alert issued</h3>Following the development, the IMD issued orange alerts for all Districts of Kerala other than Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram, as of 10 p.m. on Saturday (August 1, 2026). In addition, the Travancore Devaswom Board has issued a security alert for devotees planning to visit Sabarimala on August 2 and 3, 2026, advising them to reconsider the visit. Meanwhile, water levels in the Idukki reservoir rose by nearly 6 feet over 24 hours. The level reached 2,336.04 ft as of 1:00 p.m. today, up from 2,330.90 ft recorded at 7:00 a.m. the previous day. According to a Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) dam safety official, the reservoir's catchment area received 154 mm of rainfall during this period. The official also pointed out that on August 7, 2020, the dam saw a single-day rise of 6.18 ft in storage, followed by an additional 5.5 ft increase the next day. “That was the highest inflow to the dam in recent memory. In 2020, the water level rose from 2,347 ft to 2,353 ft in a single day, driven by 226 mm of rainfall in the catchment areas. As the reservoir level rises, the surface area expands, meaning a larger volume of water is required to achieve each additional foot of storage,” the official explained.

The destruction due to rainwater followed a month after a deadly debris slip occurred due to extreme rainfall, claiming the lives of eight people at a tunnel construction site in Wayanad. 

Heavy rain triggered landslips, flash floods, and widespread destruction, particularly in hilly regions, claiming the lives of at least 8 people in Kerala. The rain-related incidents occurred in the state as a spell of heavy rain battered the State from Friday (July 31, 2026) night into Saturday (August 1, 2026). Over 500 people have been shifted to relief camps as rescue operations continue. The destruction followed a month after a deadly debris slip occurred due to extreme rainfall, claiming the lives of eight people at a tunnel construction site in Wayanad. Meanwhile, Chief Minister VD Satheeshan contacted the Revenue Minister, the Chief Secretary, and the District Collectors in the wake of the heavy rains continuing across Kerala and multiple reports of landslips and mudslides in some places in the state. Also read: BJP MPs protest in Parliament over Jharkhand paper leak as student agitation swell in state: What exactly happened? Orange alert issued Following the development, the IMD issued orange alerts for all Districts of Kerala other than Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram, as of 10 p.m. on Saturday (August 1, 2026). In addition, the Travancore Devaswom Board has issued a security alert for devotees planning to visit Sabarimala on August 2 and 3, 2026, advising them to reconsider the visit. Meanwhile, water levels in the Idukki reservoir rose by nearly 6 feet over 24 hours. The level reached 2,336.04 ft as of 1:00 p.m. today, up from 2,330.90 ft recorded at 7:00 a.m. the previous day. According to a Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) dam safety official, the reservoir's catchment area received 154 mm of rainfall during this period. The official also pointed out that on August 7, 2020, the dam saw a single-day rise of 6.18 ft in storage, followed by an additional 5.5 ft increase the next day. “That was the highest inflow to the dam in recent memory. In 2020, the water level rose from 2,347 ft to 2,353 ft in a single day, driven by 226 mm of rainfall in the catchment areas. As the reservoir level rises, the surface area expands, meaning a larger volume of water is required to achieve each additional foot of storage,” the official explained.

The destruction due to rainwater followed a month after a deadly debris slip occurred due to extreme rainfall, claiming the lives of eight people at a tunnel construction site in Wayanad.&nbsp;

Kerala rains updates: 8 dead, over 500 shifted to relief camps amid fresh floods; IMD issues 'orange' alert

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Kerala hero dies after giving his life jacket to save 61-year-old in Kannur

Kerala rains updates: 8 dead, over 500 shifted to relief camps amid fresh floods