Kerala floods LIVE: Rahul Gandhi meets flood-affected people in Chengannur

Over 350 people have lost their lives so far and 869,000 are still in relief camps, with Kerala facing a loss of around Rs 20 billion

5:01 PM

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan visits relief camps, hears to woes of those affected

With 1.3 million people put up in relief camps after the devastating floods that ravaged Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday spent time with many of them, hearing to their problems and assured all help.

 

Vijayan took the helicopter to visit the relief camps in Chengannur, Kozhencherry, Alappuzha, North Paravoor and Chalakudy, covering three districts.

 

"There is no need for any anxiety, government will provide funds to rebuild homes," Vijayan told the people in the camps, many of them unable to hold back tears.

3:33 PM

Goa offers financial aid of Rs 50 million

 

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday sanctioned a financial aid of Rs 50 million as a contribution of his government towards the Kerala Chief Minister's Relief Fund for flood relief operations.

 

Apart from this, the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court and other judges have decided to contribute voluntarily to the Kerala CMRF.

2:46 PM

Infosys Foundation rushes relief material to flood-hit Kerala, Kodagu

"We have sent four truckloads of survival kits including 40 items like clothes, rice, drinking water, and medicines to Kerala's Wayanad and Ernakulam districts and regions near Thiruvananthapuram," said Chairperson Sudha Murthy, according to ANI. The survival kits sent to Kerala are worth over Rs 1 crore.

The Foundation has sent 25,000 water bottles, steel utensils, mats, buckets and mugs for 250 families worth over Rs 25 lakh

2:38 PM

Amitabh Bachchan contributes towards Kerala flood relief

As the rain-battered Kerala continues to battle floods, Amitabh Bachchan has made a donation of Rs 51 lakh to the relief organisations working towards the welfare of victims. Not just money, the 75-year-old also gave away some of his personal belongings, including around 80 jackets, 25 pants, 20 shirts & scarves and 40 shoes. 

 

Apart from him, many other Bollywood celebrities including Shah Rukh Khan, Sushant Singh Rajput, Hrithik Roshan among others, have extended their support, urging people to come forward and help the people of Kerala

 

2:24 PM

Kerala plans to raise Rs 7.5 bn through hiked liquor duty & 10% cess on GST, writes T E Narasimhan 

The Kerala government will seek permission from the GST Council to impose a cess of 10 per cent on the State GST as it looks to rebuild the state ravaged by the devastating floods which could have potentially caused damage worth around Rs 200 billion.

2:20 PM

Chief Justice of Delhi High Court and its other judges decide to contribute voluntarily to Kerala Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund

9:56 AM

Pinarayi Vijayan conducts an in-person review of the functioning of relief camps in Chengannur

8:57 AM

Kerala govt to initiate high-level discussion on UAE aid

Pinarayi Vijayan said the state government will initiate high-level discussions with the Centre to enable the transfer of funds from the UAE government in the wake of the floods in the state.

 

"The National Disaster Management policy provides provisions to accept voluntary offers from foreign nations in the wake of calamities," the chief minister said in response to reports of the Centre's reluctance to accept UAE aid worth Rs 700 crore

8:45 AM

8:43 AM

Kerala CM to visit relief camps

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday will conduct an in-person review of the functioning of relief camps in Chengannur, Kozhencherry, Alappuzha, North Paravoor and Chalakudy.

 

Nearly one million people are sheltering in number of relief camps, set up by the administration across the state.

2:31 PM

Kerala floods a man-made disaster, says Opposition

 

The Congress on Wednesday said that the floods in Kerala, the worst in a century, were man-made and due to faulty dam management, reported Press Trust of India.

 

Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala told the media that the tragedy took place because of lack of coordination between the Power Minister, the Water Resource Ministers and the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB).

 

"This monsoon, Kerala received 41.44 per cent more rains and all the (sluice gates of the) dams were opened without proper analysis or impact studies... People were totally unaware that the dams were being opened," he said.

 

12:45 PM

Kerala government on Wednesday turned its attention to cleaning of houses and public places which were damaged in the unprecedented rains which ravaged the state. 

10:24 AM

After Rs 7 billion aid from United Arab Emirates government to flood-hit Kerala, Centre is likely to take a stand of ‘politely’ refusing any ‘help’ from foreign governments 

Read our report here

9:47 AM

Idukki, the epicentre of the flooding, recorded the highest rainfall in Kerala and second-highest rainfall (3,521 mm) of any Indian district over these 81 days

Read full report here

9:24 AM

Kerala Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac says he has a three-pronged strategy to raise funds

Read his interview here

T M Thomas Issac