Saturday 20 / April / 2024
Muscat: Indian expats living in the Sultanate have started contributing towards the Kerala floods. The devastating floods have so far killed more than 324 people in the Indian state of Kerala.
“An unprecedented natural calamity in the form of floods has struck Kerala. We must all contribute to help the distressed and the affected people. Contribution in the form of cash can be sent to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Indian Social Club, Sohar, in association with a few NGOs is putting in place a mechanism to collect new clothes to be sent to the affected areas. On Sunday, August 19, between 9am and 1pm, the gates of Al Nahdha Garden will be opened to receive donations in the form of clothes. The Executive Committee of Indian Social Club Sohar requests you to open your hearts and wallets to donate towards this cause,” the Indian Social Club Sohar said.
Meanwhile, the students of Indian School Ghubra organised an event on August 16 to raise funds for the flood victims in Kerala. This was held with the help of Round Square, an international students organisation.
The entire ISG family participated in this charitable venture. The proceeds of this sale was handed over to Sunil Kattakath, Convenor, School Management Committee for the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised the flood-ravaged state of Kerala more helicopters, boats and other equipment needed to evacuate thousands of stranded people as he took an aerial tour of flooded areas on Saturday.
In a series of tweets, he said: “I salute the people of Kerala for their fighting spirit. I compliment the authorities for their efforts in this adverse situation. I would also like to appreciate the wide support and solidarity from people across India towards Kerala during this unprecedented situation.
“The Air Force, Army, Navy and Coast Guard are assisting operations in different parts of Kerala. Rescuing those who are trapped remains the topmost priority,” he said.
The Indian Prime Minister also said: “The Central Government is ensuring that the benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, various social security schemes, Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture reach those affected on a priority basis
in Kerala.”
“Centre is providing all possible assistance to Kerala. This includes financial assistance, providing foodgrains and medicines. My thoughts are with the families of those who have lost their lives due to incessant flooding across Kerala. I hope the injured recover at the earliest,” he said. Kerala’s chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has described the flooding as the worst the state has seen in the last 100 years.
In a tweet, he said that more than 314,000 people were now living in more than 2,000 emergency relief camps set up in the area.
Travel advisory
The Sultanate’s Consulate General in Mumbai has urged its citizens to be careful. In view of this, the Sultanate’s Consulate General in Mumbai has called on its citizens to be careful and cautious in view of the difficult climatic conditions in the Indian province of Kerala. “They must abide by the local government’s warnings and security measures. For further information, please call: 00918826644313. The Sultanate’s embassy in New Delhi and its consulate in Mumbai are in constant contact with the Indian government to find out about the latest weather updates,” it said.
Meanwhile, travel plans of Indian expats were hit, as operations at the Kochi International Airport have been temporarily suspended until August 26.
Airlines operating from Muscat to Kochi said that the scheduled flights between Muscat and Kochi will now operate to Trivandrum Airport until August 26.
