Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Bank has stepped in to support those affected by the Wayanad landslide. The bank has decided to write off the loans of disaster-affected individuals from its Chooralmala branch. This includes the full waiver of loans for those who have died and those who have lost their homes and property. This significant decision was made during a board meeting.
In the first phase, loans totaling ₹6,65,000 for nine individuals will be written off. This amount includes loans for those who died in the disaster and those who lost all their property. It is still unclear if there will be any relief provided for other disaster-affected borrowers under this branch.
Last month, Kerala Bank donated ₹50 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The bank employees have also decided to donate five days’ worth of their salaries to the relief fund. This crucial decision from the bank comes in the wake of these donations.
Meanwhile, the search for those affected by the Wayanad disaster continues. Searches are being conducted in Chooralmala, Mundakkai, and along the banks of the Chaliyar River. Recent searches have led to the recovery of bodies and body parts. The cabinet sub-committee has decided to intensify the search focused on the Chaliyar River.
So far, 229 bodies have been recovered from the disaster. Of these, 178 have been identified, and 51 more are yet to be identified. DNA results for the unidentified bodies and body parts will be available starting today, which may help in identifying the remaining deceased.
