At least 370 people have lost their lives in the devastating rains and floods that have ravaged Kerala since 8 August. Two more deaths were reported on Sunday even as rescuers continued to battle adverse conditions such as waist-deep water to help stranded people out to safety.
“Our prime concern was to save lives. It appears it has been met,” Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the media on Sunday.
He added that 7,24,649 people made homeless by devastating floods in Kerala. A total of 5,645 camps are sheltering the homeless even as the rescue operations entered the last stage.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said on Sunday that over 15,000 people have been evacuated from floods and heavy rains affected areas of Kerala till now.
According to an official statement, 3,757 medical relief camps have been set up, and as requested by the state government, 90 types of medicines in the requested quantity are being sent to Kerala.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda said that his ministry is extending all support to the relief measures in flood-battered Kerala.
Kerala is facing the worst flood since 1924.
Though authorities withdrew the red alert in three worst affected districts of Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Thrissur, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday predicted a fresh barrage of rains in a few districts of the state.
The worst affected places where people have remained stranded for the past three days without food or water include Chengannur, Pandalam, Thiruvalla, several areas in Pathanamthitta district and in Ernakulam’s Aluva, Angamaly and Paravur.
The Chief Minister has requested people from across the country to help Kerala battle the unprecedented humanitarian crisis with donations to the Kerala CM Distress Relief Fund.
“At this of point of time, nothing can help as much as money,” Vijayan had said earlier this week.
How to help Kerala fight the flood
Those who wish to help can send essential relief items such as mattresses, toiletries, medicines, food, furniture and clothes can contact the emergency operations centre at the district collectorates. The toll-free number is 1077.
Any amount of financial assistance can be provided towards the Kerala CM Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF). The donations are exempted from income tax as well as the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010. The payment procedure is simple and secure.
Here is how you can make a financial contribution online:
Step 1: Log on to donation.cmdrf.kerala.gov.in
Step 2: Click on the donate menu
Step 3: Fill the Online Donation Form providing basic information such as email Id, name and phone number
Step 4: You will be redirected to a payment gateway where you can pay through netbanking, credit cards or debit cards.
Step 5: You may be asked to verify using a captcha code.
Step 6: After a successful transaction, a notification will be displayed on the screen. It will be sent to your email address too. The notification includes a certificate from the principal secretary (finance) and 100 per cent tax exemption certificate
Account details for online donation
Account number: 67319948232
Bank: State Bank of India
Branch: City branch, Thiruvananthapuram
IFS Code: SBIN0070028
PAN: AAAGD0584M
Name of Donee: CMDRF
Financial contribution by cheque/DD
A cheque or a demand draft can be sent to this address:
The Principal Secretary (Finance) Treasurer,
Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund,
Secretariat,
Thiruvananthapuram – 695001
Unified Payments Interface and QR codes
The two modes can be used by donors with South Indian Bank, Federal Bank and SBI accounts