UAE-based Indian tycoon Yusuff Ali donates Rs 10 cr for Wayanad rehabilitation

Thiruvananthapuram: United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Indian businessman and LuLu Group Chairman, M A Yusuff Ali, has donated Rs 10 crore to the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF) to aid families affected by the devastating landslides in Wayanad, Kerala.

The latest contribution was handed over to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at his office in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, August 20. The funds will be used to build 50 houses for families who lost their homes in the tragedy.

This marks Yusuff Ali’s second instalment of support. In 2024, he had donated Rs 5 crore as immediate relief for the victims. With the current contribution, his total assistance towards Wayanad’s rehabilitation stands at Rs 15 crore.

Expressing his solidarity with the state, Yusuff Ali assured the Chief Minister of his continued commitment to Kerala’s rebuilding efforts, stressing the urgent need for permanent housing for displaced families.

The Wayanad landslides struck on July 30, 2024, when torrential rains triggered massive destruction in Chooralmala and Mundakkai villages of Meppadi panchayat. The disaster claimed more than 250 lives, injured 397 people, and left 118 missing, making it the worst natural calamity in Kerala since the 2018 floods.

Both villages, located nearly 50 km from the district headquarters in Kalpetta, were known for their scenic beauty and waterfalls. Mundakkai is just 2.3 km from Chooralmala by road, underscoring the scale of devastation that hit the close-knit communities.