Declare Kerala floods as national disaster without any delay: Rahul to PM

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare floods in Kerala as "a national disaster".

The deadliest deluge in Kerala in close to a century has claimed 194 lives since August 8. Over 314,000 people have been moved to relief camps.

"Dear PM, please declare #Kerala floods a National Disaster without any delay. The lives, livelihood and future of millions of our people is at stake," Gandhi tweeted.

He also appealed to Congress workers to help those in need in the flood-ravaged state.

"Across Kerala & now Kodagu in Karnataka, heavy rainfall has caused widespread devastation. This is the time for our workers & leaders to demonstrate the core Congress values of service & love. Please focus all our resources & people to help those in need," he said in another tweet.