PM Narendra Modi to visit flood-hit Kerala on August 17

Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit Kerala on August 17 and undertake an aerial survey of the flood-ravaged areas on August 18, Union Minister K J Alphons said.

Modi was expected to reach Kochi tomorrow after attending the funeral of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he told reporters here. The funeral of Vajpayee, who passed away today, has been scheduled for 4 pm tomorrow in Delhi. After an overnight stay at Kochi, the Prime Minister will undertake an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas on Saturday, Alphons said.

Catch the LIVE updates on the flood situation in Kerala here. 

Modi has already been in touch with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and had assured all assistance. The prime minister has taken a "positive stand" towards the state on relief measures, Vijayan had said yesterday after he spoke to him for the second time in the past few days.

Kerala has been ravaged by unprecedented floods following torrential rains that also triggered landslides, claiming 97 lives since August 8 besides disrupting air, rail and road traffic in several places. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had on August 12 undertook an aerial survey of the floot-hit regions and announced an immediate central assistance of Rs 100 crore to the state for relief works.