Kerala Floods: PM Modi announces Rs 500 crore aide

New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced Rs 500 crore help to Kerala, after holding a high-level meeting with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He also announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh per person to the next kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those seriously injured from the PM’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).

As per initial assessment, the state has faced a loss of Rs 19,512 crore, Vijayan told Mr Prime Minister.

Over 80,000 people were rescued from multiple locations in Kerala with the help of several agencies.

As several parts of Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts were submerged, people were camped on terraces or higher floors waiting for rescuers.

More than 176 people have been reported dead officially since August 8. There were 31 deaths on Friday itself.

Chengannur and Chalakudy areas are the worst affected at the moment because of the heavy currents here, CM Vijayan said.