Given the fatalities in the Kuwait fire tragedy, an emergency cabinet meeting convened by the Kerala government is underway, which started at 10 am today.
Amid the death of 19 Keralites in the Kuwait apartment fire, the Kerala government has announced to provide financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the families of the deceased.
The decision was taken during an emergency Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the morning. Tamil Nadu Minister Gingee KS Masthan said, ‘It is learnt that five Tamils are dead in Kuwait fire incident’.
Union Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh said, ‘The bodies of some of the Indians killed in the fire in Kuwait are charred beyond recognition and DNA testing is on to confirm the victims identities’.
The Gonda MP, who had to rush to the Gulf country soon after he took charge as a Minister of State for External Affairs, said an Indian Air Force plane is ready to bring the bodies home.
‘As soon as the bodies are identified, their kin will be informed and our Air Force plane will bring the bodies back’, he said.
According to the latest figures, he said, at least 49 people have died in the fire in Mangaf city and 42 of them are believed to be Indians.
The fire in the six-storey building started in the kitchen early yesterday. Nearly 200 people were living in the building, and officials said most deaths were caused due to inhalation of smoke in sleep.
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