Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an interim relief of Rs 500 crore for Kerala, reeling under torrential rains and floods. The decision was taken at a high-level review meeting held by Modi with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Army and Naval rescue teams.
Earlier in the day, the rain in Kochi forced Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cancel a planned aerial survey of the situation in the state. However, with rain getting less intense, the prime minister is conducting an aerial survey now. He is being accompanied by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Heavy rain continued in parts of south and central Kerala on Saturday morning even as the state reels under unprecedented floods that have left over 150 dead in the past three days. Torrential rain, overflowing rivers and a series of landslides have left over 3 lakh people in over 2,000 relief camps across Kerala.
Modi was to have been accompanied by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the aerial survey from Kochi, with the officials overflying the worst-affected districts. Modi is expected to chair a meeting to discuss the situation in Kerala. Modi arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday night.
Meanwhile, the flood situation remains grim in Chengannur town in Alappuzha district and Thiruvalla and Aranmula (both in Pathanamthitta district). Hundreds of people are still stranded in Chalakuddy near Thrissur without food and water. Road and rail services between Central and North Kerala remain disrupted.
Cochin Airport numbers changed
Cochin International Airport, which suspended operations on August 15 due to inundation of operation areas, announced on Friday that it has changed its emergency phone numbers. The new numbers are
+91 90726 04 004/+91 90726 04 006/+91 90726 04 007/+91 90726 04 008.
The Modi government on Friday asked domestic airlines to operate more flights to Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram to compensate for the suspension of services in Cochin International Airport. Flight operations at Cochin International Airport are currently temporarily suspended till August 26.
(With inputs from onmanorama)