The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced an aid of $6,00,000 for Kerala relief and rehabilitation operations, which will be sent to the UNICEF, PTI reported.
The ex gratia will aim to strengthen the “government efforts and initiatives by the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the enormous task of assisting displaced, flood-affected people and help them rebuild their lives”, the statement released by the foundation said.
UNICEF, accompanying the NGOs are working together with the district administrations for conducting the relief operations in the state.
President of Global Development at the foundation, Chris Elias, was quoted in the statement as saying, “The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation extends its sympathies to the thousands of families affected by Kerala’s worst floods in nearly a century.”
Elias added, “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.”
Kerala was hit by worst floods in a century which led to the death of 387 people and rendered more than 10.40 lakh people to stay at relief camps.
UAE’s Emirates has declared that its planes will carry over ‘175 tonnes of relief material to Kerala’, reported Moneycontrol.
Kerala has experienced a devastating deluge since August 8, which is responsible for the destruction of approximately Rs 20,000 crore worth of land, property in the state.