Heavy rains and flooding in Kerala have claimed over 300 lives since August 8 in the second spell of the monsoon. More than 1 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.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced that USD 6,00,000 will be sent to UNICEF to strengthen relief and rehabilitation efforts in Kerala which witnessed its worst floods in nearly a century.
Chris Elias, president of Global Development at the foundation said:”The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation extends its sympathies to the thousands of families affected by Kerala’s worst floods in nearly a century.”
He further stated that “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.”
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