Undeterred by ravaging floods, Kerala Muslims flock to mosques for Eid prayers

Undeterred by Kerala floods that ravaged their homes, about 500 people have prayed at a mosque on the festival of Eid al-Adha

Undeterred by floods that ravaged their homes, about 500 people have prayed at a mosque on the festival of Eid al-Adha as they began returning to their houses on the outskirts of the port city of Kochi.

An elderly Muslim man lights a bidi, or hand-rolled cigarette, after offering Eid prayers at a mosque near a flood affected area on the outskirts of Kochi in the southern state of Kerala, India, Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2018. (AP)

They also prayed at a nearby cemetery for those who lost their lives in the worst floods in a century in Kerala state. The floods killed more than 200 people and drove hundreds of thousands from their homes over the past two weeks.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, said Wednesday that the people of Kerala were in a great struggle to rebuild their lives after the floods.

Though rains have stopped over the past three days, vast swaths of land remain under water in five state districts.