PM to visit flood-hit Kerala


Thiruvananthapuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit Kerala and undertake an aerial survey of the flood ravaged areas on Saturday, Union Minister K J Alphons said.

Modi was expected to reach Kochi today after attending the funeral of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he told reporters here.

The funeral of Vajpayee, who passed away yesterday, has been scheduled for 4 pm today in Delhi.

After an overnight stay at Kochi, the Prime Minister will undertake an aerial survey of the flood affected areas on Saturday, Alphons said. Modi has already been in touch with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and had assured all assistance.

The prime minister has taken a “positive stand” towards the State on relief measures, Vijayan had said after he spoke to him for the second time in the past few days.

Kerala has been ravaged by unprecedented floods following torrential rains that also triggered landslides, claiming 97 lives since 8 August besides disrupting air, rail and road traffic in several places.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had on 12 August undertook an aerial survey of the flood-hit regions and announced an immediate central assistance of Rs 100 crore to the State for relief works.