Kerala needs plumbers, carpenters, electricians, not food: Minister

Union Minister for tourism, KJ Alphons, who is from Kerala, has this message to send out.

"Today we have close to a million people in relief camps. District collectors are working as coordinators and providing supplies. Central forces are providing amazing service to Kerala. The biggest heroes are fishermen, who came in 600 boats and are rescuing people.

"There will be no electricity in homes. Carpentry, plumbing would be gone. We need hundreds of thousands of electricians, plumbers, carpenters to rush to Kerala. We don't need clothes or food. People with technical capabilities are required to put life back into Kerala."


Meanwhile, in Kochi, flights to the INS Garuda Kochi Naval Air Station has begun. Commercial flights services is from this air station since the Cochin International Airport is still flooded.


India stepped up relief operations for the worst flood in Kerala in over a 100 years. Additional rescue teams, helicopters and motorboats, have been deployed to the state.

The death toll for the state stands at 357 since monsoons started in June,  with many as 845,000 people taking shelter in 3,700 camps.


Image: Refugees in their own country. People at a relief camp in flood-hit Chengannur, in Kerala, eat a hot meal.