Chennai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in Kochi district of Kerala to see for himself the ravages of the monsoon and to check out on relief operations, has announced Rs 500 crore financial assistance to Kerala.
Kerala has been nearly drowning in the unprecedented rain for the past couple of weeks and has been crying out for succour. Modi landed in Kochi, one of the worst hit districts of the State, to survey the area.
According to reports, he earlier met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and learnt about the measures being taken to deal with the natural calamity.
AT TRISSUR
Naval personnel are working overtime to rescue about 1,400 people caught in the floods at Trissur. Reports say that so far, they have succeeded in helping 100 people reach safety.
PATHANAMTHITTA HOUSE COLLAPSE
Three people have died in Venganur village in Pathanamthitta due to a house collapse in the incessant rain.
More than 25,000 people have been shifted to camps in Pathanamthitta.
TRAINS CANCELLED
Five trains have been cancelled due to landslide in the Palakkad – Thiruvananthapuram zone. These include the Mumbai – Thiruvananthapuram – Chennai train and Chennai – Mangaluru train.
NGOs APPEAL
Non-governmental organisations in Tamilnadu that are helping relief reach Keralites, have requested the government to waive customs / excise duty and parcel duty for items being sent to the neighbouring State.