States step forward to help flood-ravaged Kerala as death toll mounts

At least 23 additional deaths were reported across the state through Saturday, taking the death toll in the current spell of rain to 190.

A number of states across the country came forward to help Kerala in its hour of need as rain-related casualties mounted steadily on Saturday. At least 23 additional deaths were reported through the day, taking the death toll in the current spell of rain to over 200.

People wade across a waterlogged street after being rescued from flood-affected regions following heavy monsoon rainfall in Kochi. (PTI Photo)

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced emergency financial aid of ₹20 crore, besides food and essentials, for the state on Saturday. His government has also promised to send food and other items to Kerala in collaboration with various agencies and NGOs immediately.

Tamil Nadu has pledged another ₹5 crore towards providing flood relief aid to its neighbouring state. “We had already extended ₹5 crore to Kerala. Now, after observing the extent of havoc wreaked in the neighbouring state, we have decided to contribute another ₹5 crore. Besides this, we have sent relief materials – including rice, milk powder, milk and clothes – worth around ₹2 crore,” said local administration minister SP Velumani.

Further north, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar extended financial aid of ₹10 crore to the flood-ravaged state. “Nobody knows better about the miseries caused by natural calamities than the people of Bihar. I am sending a small contribution of ₹10 crore from the Bihar chief minister’s relief fund for the purpose,” Kumar wrote in a letter addressed to his Kerala counterpart, Pinarayi Vijayan.

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik also did his part in helping Kerala by granting monetary aid of ₹5 crore and rushing a 245-member team of fire personnel to assist in relief-and-rescue operations.

Watch: Aerial visuals of flooded Kalady, rains continue to lash Kerala

Four states had lent a helping hand to the flood-ravaged state on Friday. While Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced monetary aid of ₹25 crore for Kerala, Punjab and Delhi premiers Amarinder Singh and Arvind Kejriwal provided immediate assistance to the tune of ₹10 crore each. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, for his part, announced financial aid of up to ₹5 crore.

Meanwhile, monetary assistance continued to pour in from other quarters too. Kejriwal announced on Saturday that all Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ministers, MLAs and MPs will donate a month’s salary to Kerala in view of the natural calamity.

The Congress also asked its elected representatives to contribute a month’s salary to the Kerala relief fund, and demanded that the floods be declared as a “national calamity”. These decisions were taken at a meeting of Congress general secretaries, party in-charges of states, legislative party leaders and state unit chiefs, presided over by party chief Rahul Gandhi.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah promised to donate a month’s salary for relief efforts in the southern state too. He also asked state governor NN Vohra to send “some assistance” to victims of the flood.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced an interim relief of ₹500 crore earlier this morning.

(With agency inputs)