CM urges Malayalees to donate a month’s salary

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug. 26: As relief and rehabilitation work initon in flood ravaged Kerala, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday urged all Malayalees to donate one month salary to rebuild the state, where the death toll has now touched 302 and over four lakh are still in relief camps.

In many districts, people have started moving from camps to their homes after cleaning work has been completed.

The receding flood waters had left mounds of mud and debris in their homes and surroundings.

The toll on Sunday climbed to 302 with more bodies being recovered, a government press release said. Mr Vijayan also reviewed ongoing relief operations.

There are still 4.62 lakh people in 1,435 relief camps. At least three lakh houses have been cleaned so far.

PM Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed the humanitarian assistance rendered to victims of Kerala floods by people from all walks of life.

He also put on record his appreciation for the role rendered by the Army, Air Force, Navy, NDRF, BSF, CISF and the RAF in relief and rescue operations.

“Yesterday was the festival of Onam. We pray for Onam to provide strength to the country, especially Kerala, so that it returns to normalcy on a newer journey of development. Once again on behalf of all Indians, I would like to reassure each and everyone in Kerala and other affected places that at this moment of calamity, the entire country stands by them,” Mr Modi said in his monthly Mann ki Baat radio address.