Kerala floods: EU donates 190,000 euros to Indian Red Cross
New Delhi, Aug 23: The European Union (EU) has donated an initial 190,000 euros to the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) for providing immediate assistance in flood-devastated Kerala.
"In response to the devastating monsoon floods that swept across large parts of Kerala, the EU has allocated an initial contribution of €190,000 in humanitarian aid funding to support the Indian Red Cross Society for immediate relief assistance," it said in a statement.
"The aid will directly benefit 25,000 from among the most affected people in some of the worst hit areas," it said.
The worst floods to hit Kerala since 1924 have claimed around 370 lives since monsoon rains began on May 29 and displaced hundreds of thousands this month.
The EU said its funding support would ensure much needed assistance through the distribution of essential shelter and household items including tarpaulins and kitchen sets.
"As outbreaks of vector-borne diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and malaria are common following flooding, mosquito nets are also being provided, while disease prevention and hygiene promotion activities are being conducted," it said.
"Special attention will be placed on the most vulnerable populations."
The funding is part of the EU's overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
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MP boat tragedy: Death toll climbs to 13; body of last missing person recovered
Jabalpur (PTI): The bodies of a five-year-old boy and his uncle were recovered from Bargi Dam in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur district on Sunday morning, raising the death toll in the cruise boat tragedy to 13, police said.
The boat, around 20 years old and operated by the state tourism department, capsized during a storm on Thursday evening.
"The bodies of Mayuram (5) and his uncle Kamraj (around 50), an employee of the Ordnance Factory in Khamaria, were found floating and were fished out of the dam," Bargi Sub Divisional Officer of Police Anjul Ayank Mishra told PTI over the phone.
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All 13 missing persons identified have now been accounted for, he said, adding the bodies were sent to a government hospital for postmortem.
Teams comprising around 20 Army divers airlifted from Agra, along with personnel from the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force and local divers, were involved in the search operation, the police said.
Of the 41 identified passengers on board the vessel, 28 were rescued after the incident, according to the police.
The CCTV footage near the boarding point showed 43 people heading towards the boat, though the identities of 41 passengers have been confirmed so far, they said.
The state government on Friday ordered a probe into the incident and dismissed three crew members. It also banned the operation of similar vessels in the state.
