Kerala, After The Floods: Reliance Foundation to donate Rs 21 crore, provide relief aid worth around Rs 50 crore

In view of the devastating floods in Kerala , Reliance Foundation on Tuesday said it will donate Rs 21 crore to the Kerala Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and provide relief material worth around Rs 50 crore to assist the people affected by the torrential rains. Speaking about the organisation’s “multi-pronged disaster response programme”, Reliance Foundation chairperson Nita Ambani said in a statement: “The foundation stands firmly with the people of Kerala in this hour of need. It will remain committed to its relief and rehabilitation efforts and continue its operations in Kerala until normalcy is restored in the state.” According to the statement, the organisation has been carrying out rescue and relief operations since 14 August in six of the 14 affected districts of Kerala — Ernakulam, Wayanad, Alappuzha, Thrissur, Idukki and Pathanamthitta. [caption id=“attachment_5012951” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Several institutions, states, and invidividuals are coming forward to donate for Kerala, which is currently reeling under the impact of floods. Reuters[/caption] “The team is supporting the rescue operations by providing critical updates on weather and locations of temporary shelters via Reliance Foundation Information Services. It is also providing toll-free helpline numbers to the state disaster management authorities,” the statement read. The foundation has also identified 15,000 families affected by the floods to provide them dry ration kits, utensils, shelter, shoes and clothes. Through Reliance Retail, it provided supplies such as ready-to-eat food, glucose and sanitary napkins to 160 government-run relief camps, which are sheltering around 50,000 people. Reliance Foundation has also handed over relief material, weighing around 2.6 metric tonnes, to the Government of Maharashtra, which will be transported to Kerala by air. A total of 7.5 lakh units of apparel, 1.5 lakh pairs of footwear as well as dry groceries are being mobilised for distribution to the affected people in Kerala. The latest spell of monsoon fury began in Kerala on 8 August, causing one of the worst floods in its history of the state. As the humanitarian crisis unfolded in the southern state, relief poured in from across the country, with several states , corporate entities and individuals , donating aid. According to the National Disaster Management Authority, rains, floods and landslides in Kerala have killed 373 people since 30 May  in Kerala. Over 10 lakh people, including 2.12 lakh women and one lakh children under 12, have been sheltered in 3,200 relief camps. Disclaimer: Reliance Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Reliance Industries Limited. RIL is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust that controls Network18 Media & Investments Limited, which publishes Firstpost.