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PM Narendra Modi reached Thiruvananthapuram on Friday at 11.30 pm to take stock of the flood situation in Kerala. The death toll in the State due to floods has reached 324
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday, began an aerial survey of flood-hit Kerala. The State has suffered a massive loss triggered by heavy rainfall.
Modi was accompanied by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Governor P Sathasivam and other State officials in this survey. Earlier, Modi’s aerial survey was called off due to bad weather.
Vijayan sought an emergency aid of Rs 2,000 crore from the Centre saying that the State suffered losses of Rs 25,000 crore.
The prime minister earlier announced an interim relief of Rs 500 crore for Kerala. He also held a high-level meeting with Vijayan and other ministers to discuss the flood situation.
The number of deaths in the State crossed 200 today taking the total number of deaths this monsoon to 344. Modi arrived in Kochi yesterday to take stock of the situation.
Modi, who arrived in the State capital Thiruvananthapuram on Friday night at 11.30 pm, flew into Kochi earlier in the morning for the survey.
He was received by Vijayan, Sathasivam and Union tourism minister KJ Alphons at Thiruvananthapuram.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had a telephonic conversation with Vijayan.
Modi’s visit comes at a time when Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has alleged that the chief minister is in power, but is not doing anything for the people.
Chennithala also insisted the government to hand over the rescue operations to the Navy. Before returning to Delhi from Kochi, the prime minister will chair a meeting to discuss the situation on Saturday.
Rains subsided this morning resulting in the water level receding in Idukki and parts of Ernakulam and Thrissur districts. But on Friday night, airlifting could not take place in Chengannur as the incessant rains continued in the region.
Kerala chief minister’s office had tweeted, "Kerala is facing its worst flood in 100 years. Eighty dams opened, 324 lives lost and 2,23,139 people are in 150 relief camps. Your help can rebuild the lives of the affected."
Over 80,000 persons, stranded in flood-hit districts, were rescued earlier on Friday, of whom 71,000 were from one of the worst affected Aluva regions of Ernakulam district.
The State is witnessing the worst flood situation in almost a century. Over 3 lakh have been forced to move to around 2,000 relief camps.
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