Congress chief Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad. (File)Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought assistance in tackling the flood situation in Kerala, including his constituency Wayanad.
“Spoke to the Prime Minister seeking all possible assistance for the people severely affected by the floods and landslides in the state, especially in Wayanad. The PM has assured to provide any assistance required to mitigate the effects of the disaster,” the Wayanad MP posted on Twitter.
Wayanad MP @RahulGandhi spoke to the Prime Minister seeking all possible assistance for the people severely affected by the floods and landslides in the state, especially in Wayanad. The PM has assured to provide any assistance required to mitigate the effects of the disaster.
— Rahul Gandhi – Wayanad (@RGWayanadOffice) August 9, 2019
On Thursday, the former Congress chief held talks with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan about the flood situation in his constituency.
“I am quite concerned about the heavy rainfall and the landslide taking place in my constituency. I have spoken to three collectors over there. They have briefed me on the situation. I have also called the chief minister of Kerala. We had a conversation and I requested him to help as much and as fast as possible,” Gandhi had told reporters.
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He said he was planning to go there, but the collector told him that it would disturb rescue operations. “I am going to go there as soon as possible,” he said.
“The people of Wayanad, my Lok Sabha constituency, are in my thoughts and prayers as they battle raging flood waters. I was to travel to Wayanad, but I’ve now been advised by officials that my presence will disrupt relief operations. I’m awaiting their OK to travel,” he later tweeted.
Twelve persons have been killed so far and thousands displaced as heavy rains continued to wreak havoc across the state. In Wayanad, which had witnessed heavy loss in the August floods last year, 16 relief camps have been opened and over 2,300 people have been shifted. Several houses at an estate settlement in the district were also washed away in a major landslide on Thursday.
As rivers overflowed in Kannur, Kozhikode and Malappuram districts, several towns were flooded, forcing hundreds of families to move to camps. A temple, a church, few houses and some vehicles have been buried under the mud and several people are feared missing in these areas.
Predicting more rains, the India Meteorological Department today sounded a red alert in four districts — Kozhikode, Wayanad, Idukki and Malappuram — and warned of “excessively heavy” rains at isolated places in these areas. An orange alert has been issued in five districts.
