Rahul Gandhi urges Congress workers to help people in flood-hit states

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday expressed concern over the flood situation in some states of the country and urged his party workers to help the affected people.

Gandhi said he would talk to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and mention to him that the people need assistance in Wayanad, the parliamentary constituency of the Congress leader.

"I am going to call the prime minister and mention to him that Wayanad is in need of assistance," he told reporters here.

Earlier in the day, he spoke to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan about the severe flood situation in Wayanad.

"I am quite concerned about the heavy rainfall and the landslide taking place in my constituency. I have spoken to three collectors over there. They have briefed me on the situation. I have also called the chief minister of Kerala. We had a conversation and I requested him to help as much and as fast as possible," Gandhi told reporters.

He said he was planning to go there, but the collector told him that it would disturb rescue operations. "I am going to go there as soon as possible," he said. 

"The flood situation in Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Assam and Bihar is grim, with lakhs of citizens stranded or displaced. I request Congress Party workers in the affected states to do all they can to help those in need and pray that the floodwaters soon subside," he tweeted.

"The people of Wayanad, my Lok Sabha constituency, are in my thoughts and prayers as they battle raging floodwaters. I was to travel to Wayanad, but I've now been advised by officials that my presence will disrupt relief operations. I'm awaiting their OK to travel," Gandhi said in another tweet.

In a message to the people of his constituency, Gandhi said he has asked party workers to help in the rescue as much as possible.

Gandhi said he also spoke to the collectors of Wayanad, Kozhikode and Malappuram to review the relief measures being undertaken.

"I hope the State Government will release a generous financial rehabilitation package to help those who've been impacted by the floods," the Congress leader tweeted.

Four people died in various rain-related incidents in Kerala on Thursday, taking the toll to 32 since the onset of monsoon.

As a 'red alert' has been sounded in four districts and torrential rains submerged low-lying areas leaving people stranded in houses and isolated places, the state government sought the help of the Army and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for the rescue mission.

The water level is rising in most of the rivers and dams across the state with Kannur, Wayanad, Idukki, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kasaragod districts facing a flood-like situation.

Major rivers like Manimala, Meenachal, Moovattupuzha, Chaliyar, Valapattanam, Iruvazjinjpuzha and Pamba are in spate.

In Wayanad, which had witnessed a heavy loss in the August floods last year, 16 relief camps have been opened and over 2,300 people have been shifted.