Thiruvananthapuram: UAE-based Indian businessman and LuLu Group Chairman M A Yusuff Ali has donated Rs 10 crore to the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF) to support families affected by the devastating landslides in Wayanad, Kerala.
The contribution was handed over to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at his office on Wednesday. The funds will be used to construct 50 houses for families who lost their homes in the tragedy.
This is Yusuff Ali’s second instalment of aid for Wayanad. In 2024, he had contributed Rs 5 crore as immediate relief. With the latest donation, his total support towards rehabilitation efforts has reached Rs 15 crore.
Expressing solidarity with Kerala, Yusuff Ali assured the Chief Minister of his continued commitment to rebuilding efforts and emphasized the urgent need to provide permanent housing for displaced families.
The Wayanad landslides struck on July 30, 2024, following torrential rains that wreaked havoc in Chooralmala and Mundakkai villages of Meppadi panchayat. The disaster claimed more than 250 lives, left 397 injured and 118 missing, marking it as the worst natural calamity in Kerala since the 2018 floods.
Both villages, located within just 2.3 km of each other and known for their scenic beauty, were almost completely devastated in the tragedy.