Kerala Floods: UAE stands with Kerala, offers Rs 700 crore for relief fund

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, on Tuesday thanked countrymen and the international community for the relief fund pouring in from across the globe for the victims.

Kerala and Tamil Nadu Fire Force personnel carry children on their shoulders through flood waters during a rescue operation in Annamanada village in Thrissur District, in the south Indian state of Kerala, on August 19, 2018. Rescuers waded into submerged villages in southern India on August 19 in a desperate search for survivors cut off for days by floods that have already killed more than 350 people. / AFP PHOTO / MANJUNATH KIRAN

New Delhi: United Arab Emirates has extended help to the flood-ravaged Indian state Kerala with a fund of Rs. 700 crores, CM Vijayan informed. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, on Tuesday thanked countrymen and the international community for the relief fund pouring in from across the globe for the victims. He said that United Arab Emirates (UAE) has offered financial assistance of Rs 700 crores to “rebuild” Kerala.

United Arab Emirates (UAE) offered financial assistance of Rs 700 crores for #KeralaFloods: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan pic.twitter.com/RAbqcazBt9

— ANI (@ANI) August 21, 2018

UAE Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum took to Twitter a couple of days ago, to make the announcement of formation of an emergency committee and urged "everyone to contribute generously towards this initiative." The state which is facing one of the worst floods in centuries experienced some relief on Tuesday as the water level began receding. Kerala floods have drawn worldwide attention with people donating generously for the cause. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), home to hundreds of thousands of Keralites, has informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi that it would be providing $100 million for Kerala, Vijayan said while addressing a gathering of media persons. "A new Kerala has to be built. At today's cabinet meeting, it has been decided to submit a detailed list to the Centre," he said. "The Kerala diaspora has been a huge source of help for us. Since they have done tremendous service in the Middle East, it has helped build good relations with the governments there." He said that the UAE rulers informed Prime Minister Modi about their contribution for Kerala on Tuesday morning.