Nottingham: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan thanked Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli on Wednesday after he dedicated his team's victory in the third Test against England to the victims of the devastating Kerala floods.
"It is heartening to know that Team India have dedicated the victory in Trent Bridge test for the flood affected people of Kerala. Thank you @imVKohli and Team India for this kind gesture. Thanks for standing with Kerala," Pinarayi posted on Facebook.
"We as a team want to dedicate this win to the flood victims in Kerala. This is our bit we can do as the Indian cricket team. A tough time there," Kohli said in the post-match presentation after the 203-run win over the home team.
The result kept India alive in the five-match series after heavy losses in the first two Tests in Birmingham and London respectively.
The announcement from the prolific batsman at the presentation ceremony drew a round of applause from the spectators.
Kerala has been devastated by floods, leading to over 300 deaths.
Nearly 14.50 lakh people belonging to 3.91 lakh families are still lodged in 3,879 relief camps across the state.
The largest number of people in relief camps was in the worst-hit Ernakulam district with 5.32 lakh of them in 850 camps.
Though water has started receding in some places, areas near the river banks and Kuttanand in Alappuzha continue to be under water.
More than 3,000 squads under health and local self-government departments have started the process of cleaning houses and public places, official sources said.
Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said most of the stranded people have been rescued and searches would continue in isolated houses to find if more persons were trapped.
The state, which suffered an estimated loss of Rs 20,000 crore in the deluge, has sought from the Centre a relief package of Rs 2,600 crore under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and the centrally-sponsored programmes.
The state had also sought an immediate relief of Rs 2,000 crore to take up relief works.
