A flood-hit part of Kerala, India.

In the aftermath of the devastating landslides in Kerala, India, several UAE-based business groups have pledged substantial aid to support relief efforts. On Tuesday (July 30), a landslide hit the district of Wayanad in Kerala, killing at least 168 people and displacing hundreds of others. Rescuers were still searching for survivors on Thursday (August 1). The disaster has deeply affected the expatriate community in the UAE, particularly those with ties to Kerala. The contributions from UAE businesses include financial aid, medical supplies, and essential goods, highlighting the strong bonds between the UAE and Kerala's expatriate population. Prominent business figures in the UAE have expressed their solidarity with the victims and their families. The pledged aid aims to provide immediate relief and support the ongoing recovery efforts in the affected areas. LuLu Group chairman MA Yusuff Ali as well as B. Ravi Pillai, chairman of the RP Group, have each donated approximately Dh2 million to the Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund. Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman of VPS Healthcare, has reached out to the Chief Minister of Kerala to volunteer the expertise of their subsidiary Prometheus Medical International’s mountain rescue team, which include mountain rescue specialists, emergency medical professionals and nurses. Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman of Aster DM Healthcare, has dispatched medical and non-medical staff as well as volunteers to disaster-stricken areas. Aster DM Healthcare Group is supplying water, food and other essentials and has also donated approximately Dh500,000 to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund and Dh1 million towards rebuilding homes for those who were displaced. In a statement, the Kerala Government expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support from the UAE's expatriate community, adding that the financial aid and supplies are expected to play a crucial role in rebuilding the lives of those affected by the disaster.  ICA/Expat Media
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