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Kerala seeks Centre's help as monsoon toll touches 80

Kerala on Wednesday sought urgent central assistance to overcome the havoc wreaked by the monsoon, which has so far claimed 80 lives and inflicted huge economic losses.

A meeting of the state cabinet, which took stock of the situation, decided to rush the revenue secretary to Delhi, after a preliminary assessment of the loss, to seek assistance to tide over the crisis. It also wanted a central damage assessment team to be sent to the state, Chief Minister A K Antony told reporters.

After a detailed assessment of the loss, a ministerial team would visit New Delhi to press for further central assistance, he added.

The cabinet has sanctioned a second instalment of Rs 5 million for each of the 14 districts to take up relief work. It has also asked district collectors to make arrangements for free distribution of food grains in the worst affected areas.

It was not within the state government to meet the situation as the chief minister's relief fund was virtually empty, Antony said. He also wanted political parties, voluntary bodies and community organisations to lend a helping hand in relief operations.

At least 1,352 villages have been affected by the torrential rains battering the state for the past five days. Hundreds of families are living in relief camps.

Vast stretches of roads have been damaged and standing crops have perished. The exact magnitude of agricultural loss is yet to be assessed.

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