Flood Leaves Millions Homeless In India

Officials have revealed that over one million people have swarmed relief camps in India’s Kerala state to escape devastating monsoon floods that have left more than 410 people dead.

The Kerala government said 1,028,000 people are now in about 3,200 relief camps across the southern state. Officials said six more bodies were found Monday, taking the death toll to more than 410 since the monsoon started in June.

Kerala authorities say they are desperate for funds and the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday promised $100 million in aid, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced after telephone talks with UAE leaders.

The amount is more than the $97 million so far promised by India’s central government. Vijayan demanded a $375 million package from the government, saying the state must confront more than $3 billion in devastation.

Millions of dollars in donations have poured into Kerala from the rest of India and abroad in recent days. Other state governments have promised more than $50 million while ministers and company chiefs have publicly vowed to give a month’s salary.