Odisha sends Rs 5 crore to rain-ravaged Tamil Nadu

Bhubaneswar: Expressing anguish over the torrential rain and subsequent floods in Tamil Nadu, the Odisha government on Friday sent Rs 5 crore to the calamity-ravaged state for relief and rehabilitation work.

"The state government has sent Rs 5 crore to Tamil Nadu government from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF)," Parliamentary Affairs Minister BK Arukha informed the Assembly here.

Meanwhile, the state's elite rescue team, the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) has been kept in ready to leave for Tamil Nadu for the relief and rescue operations, special relief commissioner (SRC) PK Mohapatra said.

Mohapatra said that at least five teams of ODRAF have been kept ready for the purpose. "We will send the ODRAF team after getting a call from the Tamil Nadu government," Mohapatra said.

Earlier, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had spoken to his Tamil Nadu counterpart J Jayalalithaa over phone and assured her of all support in the rescue and relief operations.