Kochi, August 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aerial survey to witness the massive loss and destruction triggered by the torrential rain in Kerala was called off on Saturday due to bad weather, state government officials said.
Modi, who arrived in the state capital on Friday night, flew in to Kochi earlier in the morning.
#WATCH Navy delivers relief material to stranded people in a flooded area of Kochi. #Keralafloods pic.twitter.com/dC8Lp78e8q
— ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2018
The Prime Minister was to be accompanied in his survey by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Revenue Minister E Chandrasekheran and other top state officials.
His visit comes at a time when the Congress-led opposition has been demanding immediate deployment of the Army since the state government has been unable to deal with the crisis.
Overflowing rivers and a series of landslides have resulted in the death of 180 people as of Saturday morning, with over three lakh others forced to move to some 2,000 relief camps.
Before returning to Delhi from Kochi, the Prime Minister will chair a meeting to discuss the situation.
Rain subsided on Saturday morning resulting in the water level in Idukki and parts of Ernakulam and Thrissur districts coming down.
But on Friday night, airlifting could not take place in Chengannur as the incessant rain continued in the region.
Source Tribune India
