Assam to give Rs 3 cr to Kerala for flood relief

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today said his state would give Rs 3 crore aid to rain-ravaged Kerala, where 210 have died in the last 10 days.

"The Government of Assam would extend financial aid of Rs 3 crore to Kerala government in view of the devastating flood in the southern state," an official release said quoting the chief minister.

Sonowal also directed the state Revenue and Disaster Management Department to open helplines to expedite the process of providing relief and rescuing people of Assam stranded in Kerala, it said.

Accordingly, the department opened two helpline numbers and a control room. The helpline numbers are 0361-2237219 and 0361-2237460, while the control room can be reached at 9401044617.

The number of those displaced in the torrential rains in Kerala was today put at 7.24 lakh by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who also said most of the affected had been rescued and the government's focus would now be their rehabilitation.