Kerala floods: Amit Shah assures possible help from Centre, monitors situation

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday assured all possible help and support for the people in Kerala, where heavy rain on Saturday resulted in at least 18 people losing their lives, with the toll likely to go up.

Taking to Twitter, the Union minister said that the Centre was keeping a close watch on the situation.

Also read: Kerala landslide leaves 8 dead, search operations underway

In a tweet, Shah said, “We are continuously monitoring the situation in parts of Kerala in the wake of heavy rainfall and flooding. The central government will provide all possible support to help the people in need. Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have already been sent to assist in the rescue operations. Praying for everyone’s safety.”

Meanwhile, as the rainfall subsided marginally in central Kerala on Sunday morning, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a bulletin that during the next 24 hours, there was a possibility of “light to moderate” rainfall at many places in the state.

Also read: Devotees asked to refrain from visiting Sabarimala Temple amid rain fury in Kerala

The weather department further projected that “heavy” rainfall will occur only over isolated places in Kerala during this period.

In a post on social media, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan described it as hectic, while his cabinet colleague, revenue minister K Rajan, said that the situation was “under control”.

Besides the NDRF, the three wings of the armed forces–Army, Navy and Air Force–have been pressed into service.