Kerala Flood: PM Surveys Affected Areas, Announces Rs 500-Crore Emergency Aid

Thiruvananthapuram: Altogether 324 people have died in Kerala since the start of monsoon season in late May this year The flooding is the worst Kerala has experienced in nearly a century.

This death toll has steadily risen over the past week as rescue workers scramble to reach thousands of people stranded by floodwater.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took an aerial survey of Kerala’s Kochi on Saturday morning, though it was delayed due to bad weather.

Before the survey, the Prime Minister held a meeting with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Union Minister KJ Alphons.

After the meeting, the Prime Minister announced an immediate flood relief of Rs 500 crore for the state. This is in addition to the Rs 100 crore announced by Home Minister Rajnath Singh on August 12.

He has also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of the kin of those killed in rain, floods and landslides and Rs 50,000 to those seriously injured, from Prime Minister’s National Relief Funds.

Kerala is facing the worst flood in 100 years. Till now, 42 navy, 16 army, 28 coast guard and 39 National Disaster Relief Force teams have been engaged in the rescue operations. Another 14 NDRF teams are expected to join them shortly. The military has pushed in more than 300 boats, 30 military helicopters are being used in operation, and another four aircraft and three coast guard ships have also been brought in.

Thousands of people have been shifted to relief camps with nearly 100 dams, reservoirs and rivers overflowing.