Kerala Floods: 324 people have died so far due to the floods in Kerala
Highlights
- UAE to set up committee to help flood-hit Kerala
- UAE is home to several people from Kerala who moved there for work
- 324 people have died, 3 lakh displaced in Kerala
Kerala, facing one of the worst floods in a century, has been offered help by the United Arab Emirates. The UAE is to form a committee to help flood-hit areas of the state, a report said.
Sheikh Khalifa, the president of the UAE, has asked for the formation of a national emergency committee to provide assistance to the people affected by the floods, news agency ANI reported.
The Vice President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, also said that the country has a special responsibility to help and support those affected by the heavy floods, which resulted in 324 deaths and over 3 lakh people being displaced from their homes. The UAE is home to several people from Kerala who have moved there.
"The people of Kerala have always been and are still part of our success story in the UAE," the vice president tweeted. He also wrote that UAE and the Indian community will unite to offer relief to those affected by the floods and urged people to contribute generously.
India's ambassador to the UAE, Navdeep Singh Suri, said he will chair a meeting tomorrow with community organisations, activists and business leaders to coordinate relief support for Kerala from UAE.
"Please contribute generously during this unprecedented crisis," Mr Suri tweeted.
Hundreds of thousands have been shifted to relief camps in Kerala as nearly 100 dams, reservoirs and rivers have overflowed, roads caved in, sections of highways collapsed, and homes swept away amid warnings of worse weather to come.
More than 30 military helicopters and 320 boats are attempting rescues across the state. The airport in Kochi has been shut at least till August 26 and flight operations have been shifted to state capital Thiruvananthapuram. Rail services across the state and the metro service in Kochi have been hit too.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited the state and has held a meeting with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to discuss the critical situation.
Ketto, one of India's biggest crowdfunding sites, has launched a campaign for the affected. Please click here for details on how you can help.
Note: This information has been provided/published on a good faith basis, without any commercial motive. NDTV does not vouch for the authenticity of the claims made by the intending donee, nor can we guarantee that the donations made by a donor will be used for the purpose as stated by the intending donee. You are requested to independently verify the contact information and other details before making a donation. NDTV and/or its employees will not be responsible for the same.