Facebook donates Rs 1.75 crore for Kerala flood victims
New Delhi, Aug 20: Social networking giant Facebook is donating $250,000 (nearly Rs 1.75 crore) for relief work in Kerala, which has been battered by torrential rains, floods and landslides, leaving over 300 dead amid massive destruction, the company said on Monday.
Facebook will donate the money through the Community Resilience Fund for GOONJ -- a Delhi-based non-profit organisation that is leading the relief and recovery efforts in the impacted localities.
"In the last few days, Facebook along with the power of the community, has helped reach out to people through features such as Live, creating Page, joining community and raising funds," a Facebook spokesperson told IANS.
"The smallest of all things we have done is that our global community has contributed $250,000 for Goonj fund," she added.
Kerala has seen unabated rains since August 8, causing one of the worst floods in its history that has until now claimed over 300 lives and rendered thousands homeless.
People across Facebook have created "Groups", "Live Videos" and "Pages" to raise funds to mobilise support and help the worst affected.
The groups created include those facilitating communication and relief to victims, such as coordinating transportation and medical attention; IT professionals gathering information about people who need to be rescued and sharing it with emergency officials and doctors who are offering medical tips to those affected by the floods.
On August 9, the Facebook community activated its feature "Safety Check", allowing people to let their friends and family know that they were safe.
The "Help and the Crisis Donate Button" on the platform has garnered more than 1,300 posts from the affected areas. The posts were asking for help and also for offering things like shelter, food, water, transportation and volunteer work.
So far, nearly 500 people have donated using the Crisis Donate Button.
Importantly, several people who were left stranded used Facebook Live to ask for rescue after being unable to reach authorities.
More than 1,200 people have used Facebook's "Community Help" to ask for and request help, including food, water, transportation and shelter.
The disaster maps on Facebook have helped National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and relevant NGOs to mobilise rescue and support efforts.
These Maps track people's movement and demarcate between the affected (flood-hit) and safe zones. This has also helped the government to identify places, where rescue and relief is required.
"Facebook is the largest community of volunteers, donors, and activists coming together to make the world a better place. We will continue to monitor and assess needs in the region. Together, the Facebook community is championing humanity and helping those in distress," the networking giant said in a statement.
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LPG issue: Lok Sabha proceedings adjourned again amid opposition protests
New Delhi (PTI): Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Friday amid relentless protests by opposition members over the LPG situation and hike in its price due to the ongoing West Asia crisis.
As the House reassembled at 12 noon after an earlier adjournment over the same issue, Opposition members trooped into the Well and raised slogans against the government.
After laying of papers, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for refusing to understand the pulse of the people saying if the principal opposition continues to behave in such a manner, people will punish them severely.
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"Their leader is refusing to change. Now the members are also behaving like him. Their leader is indulging in drama in Parliament premises by holding plate and glass. They think that by doing such theatrics they will be able to draw the attention of the people, but people know them very well that is why they have not been able to come to power," Rijiju said.
Expressing disappointment over the Congress behaviour, the minister said no one in the Congress party is making their leader see logic.
"Still there is time to change otherwise people of the country will punish you severely," he said.
As the opposition refused to relent, the Chair adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to respond to a debate on the second batch of supplementary demands for grants this afternoon.
