Odisha requests Kerala to provide relief to flood-hit Odia people

Bhubaneswar : The Odisha government on Sunday requested the Kerala government to provide necessary support to the Odia people trapped in the devastating floods.

In a letter, Shyamal Kumar Das, officer on special duty of Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Department sent a list of 187 persons who have been trapped in the recent floods in Kerala.

The letter has been sent to the Additional Chief Secretary, Kerala Disaster Management Department after the Odisha government received calls for help at the state emergency operation centre at the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) office here.

"It is requested to kindly make necessary arrangements for providing necessary support in terms of food, drinking water and other necessities to these people," said Das.

Notably, the Odisha government has set up a 24-hour helpline -- 1070 and 0674-2534177 -- at the SRC office to coordinate help for the flood-affected people in Kerala.

The government has also sent a team of 240 fire services personnel along with 75 power boats to flood-ravaged Kerala to carry out rescue operations.