A view of the damaged site at Mukkombu Dam, in Tiruchirappalli, Aug 24. Eight shutters of the more than a century-old Mukkombu regulator dam across river Coleroon collapsed due to heavy flow of water, according to officials. (PTI Photo)

The Indian Health Ministry has approved a grant of over Rs 18 crore under the National Health Mission (NHM) for disbursing to village health, sanitation and nutrition committees in flood-ravaged Kerala.

The ministry had earlier said it is extending all support to the relief measures in the flood-battered state, where 3,757 medical relief camps have been set up.

“Health Ministry approves additional grant of Rs 18.71 crore under #NHM to #Kerala for disbursing to Village Health, Sanitation & Nutrition Committees for #KeralaFloodRelief, as per State request. #SwasthaBharat @JPNadda,” the Ministry’s twitter handle said.

As the floodwaters began to recede, people from relief camps started returning to their homes even as over 10.40 lakh of them remain in 2,770 camps across the state.

The heavy rains and flooding has claimed 231 lives since August 8 in the second spell of the monsoon.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during a visit to a relief camp at Kozhencherry, in Pathanamthitta, Aug. 23. (PTI Photo)

Union Health Minister J P Nadda had earlier said no outbreak of communicable disease was reported from the flood-hit districts of Kerala.

The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has issued health advisories to support the state in meeting with post-flood public health management challenges when the threat of water borne, vector borne and viral hepatitis diseases becomes potent.

In a statement issued earlier, the ministry had said 65 metric tonnes of emergency drugs for flood situation were airlifted by the Indian Air Force to Thiruvananthapuram while one crore chlorine tablets were sent and another one crore are in transit.

The total request of four crore chlorine tablets will be met in phases, it had said. The ministry had further mobilised 20 MT of bleaching powder.

A fruit vendor donates fund for Kerala floods at a Rotary Club’s relief rally in Karad, Maharashtra, Aug 24. (PTI Photo)

USD 6,00,000 Aid to be Sent to Kerala for Relief Ops: Gates Foundation

New Delhi, Aug 24 (PTI) An amount of USD 6,00,000 will be sent to UNICEF to strengthen relief and rehabilitation efforts in Kerala which witnessed its worst deluge in nearly a century, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has said.

The emergency grant aims to bolster government efforts and initiatives by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the enormous task of assisting displaced, flood-affected people and helping them rebuild their lives, the foundation said in a statement.

UNICEF, along with NGOs, is currently working in tandem with district administrations to spearhead relief efforts.

“The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation extends its sympathies to the thousands of families affected by Kerala’s worst floods in nearly a century,” Chris Elias, president of Global Development at the foundation, was quoted as saying in the statement.

 

BSF rescue and medical team assist in relief efforts in flood-affected Kerala, Aug 24. (PTI Photo)

“We hope that our grant of fast and flexible funding will help UNICEF work with local governments and NGOs to prevent the outbreak of water-borne diseases and other severe health risks associated with flooding,” Elias said.

Heavy rains and flooding have claimed 231 lives since August 8 in the second spell of the monsoon. More than 10.40 lakh people are still in relief camps across the state.

The state has suffered an estimated loss of Rs 20,000 crore due to the floods and sought an interim assistance of Rs 2,600 crore from the Centre, besides a special package of a similar amount under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.