Bahrain relief pours to flood-hit Kerala

Expatriates in the Kingdom are extending their help to the Indian state of Kerala which is reeling under the worst flood devastation in its history. 

More than 350 people have been killed as a result of the flood, with 85,000 people displaced and 14 districts placed on high alert.

“Kerala is experiencing an unprecedented situation due to heavy and continuous downpour and resultant floods and natural calamity. The state mechanism is effectively engaging in the damage control. We need enormous help and liberal support from the NRI community across the globe,” Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said yesterday. 

Thousands of people have been rendered homeless and many buildings have been destroyed in the worst floods in nearly a century.

The Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam ( BKS), one of the oldest and largest leading socio-cultural organisations on the island, is gearing up to extend support to the Kerala government for their activities to save people from this unprecedented calamity.

The BKS has postponed their Onam celebrations, which were slated to start from August 21. “We are getting a lot of response from the expatriates here requesting help for their relatives in Kerala who are stranded in different locations in  due to severe floods,” said BKS Acting-President Dileesh Kumar V S and General Secretary M P Raghu. 

“The BKS 24-hour helpline received 25 calls on Thursday and our volunteers in Kerala have distributed aid to the flood-hit areas in the districts of Wayanad, Pathanamthitta, Kollam and Kottayam,” they said.  Bahraini yoga expert Fatima Al Mansoori has visited the flood hit areas and the refug ee camps in Kerala.

 “They appreciated that someone is there to listen, hold their hand and feel their suffering. Some of them even hugged me,” Fatima told Tribune.