Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help the Kerala Government with sufficient funds to battle the flood crisis and restore critical infrastructure in the State.
In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Gandhi said that torrential rain over the past few days have resulted in floods and wide-scale landslides leaving behind a trail of destruction across Kerala. By far, according to Gandhi, it is the “most severe disaster” to strike the State in the last five decades resulting in massive economic and human losses. Twenty-nine persons have been killed in the heavy rains since August 8 and over 50,000 have been shifted to relief camps.
“At this juncture, it is critical to acknowledge the looming humanitarian crisis facing Kerala,” Gandhi said as he expressed hope that the Centre would cooperate with the State Government in the massive relief and rehabilitation efforts that are underway.
“I request you to release sufficient funds immediately to the State Government to enable the State to respond effectively, and work towards restoring critical infrastructure,” Gandhi said in his letter to Modi. The flood has dealt a “deadly blow” to the fishermen community at a time when the fishing industry is recovering from the adverse impact of Ocki cyclone.
The disaster has claimed over 150 lives in the past one month, and the hilly and coastal districts of Idukki, Wayanad, Kottayam, Alapuzha, Ernakulam and Kozhikode have borne the maximum damage, the Congress chief said. Due to the incessant rains, he added, the state had to open the shutters of 24 dams, causing massive destruction in downstream areas.
Critical public infrastructure such as power supply lines and roads have to be replaced or reinstated. This will only prolong the recovery process, he said. Gandhi urged his party workers in to lend a helping hand to those in need as the unprecedented rainfall has wrecked havoc, destroying property and forcing thousands to abandon their houses.
“Unprecedented rainfall has created havoc in Kerala, destroying property and forcing thousands to abandon their homes. I urge each and every Congress worker in Kerala to step up and help those in need. My prayers and thoughts are with the people of Kerala in this difficult time,” he earlier said on Twitter.