Flooding has displaced more than one million people in the southwestern Indian state of Kerala and killed more than 400.
In the wake of the devastation, some of Bollywood's biggest stars have joined relief efforts. Reports say Shah Rukh Khan has donated Rs 21 lakh (Dh110,000), while Jacqueline Fernandez has given Rs 5 lakh (Dh26,279) to relief efforts.
Stars have taken to social media to try and encourage fans to contribute to the fund.
Amitabh Bachchan tweeted:
T 2904 - The devastation caused by incessant rain in Kerala is frightening !
— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) August 18, 2018
Hundreds and thousands of our sisters and brothers are in deep anguish ! We must do all we can to contribute as much as we can towards the needs of the people of Kerala ..
I have .. you must too ..🙏
Filmmaker Priyadarshan tweeted about handing over a cheque consisting of donations he and actor Akshay Kumar made to the Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund:
Handed over mine and @akshaykumar s Cheque to Kerala Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund . Let’s together build back Kerala back to its glory again. No politics No religion only humanity .Lets stand together to save Kerala #KerelaFloods pic.twitter.com/XchEFEHlsQ
— priyadarshan (@priyadarshandir) August 18, 2018
Alia Bhatt called the situation "heart breaking" and asked for donations to the relief fund:
The situation in kerala is heart breaking. Pls pls pls help and donate to the CMs relief fund. Any amount big or small will result in saving and helping the many many lives that are at stake.. 🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/VFWiBvvkUX
— Alia Bhatt (@aliaa08) August 17, 2018
While Anushka Sharma called the floods “gut-wrenching”:
The devastation caused in Kerala by the floods is gut-wrenching. Whatever we can do, we must. 🙏🏻 #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/jg8lxDRVaC
— Anushka Sharma (@AnushkaSharma) August 16, 2018
Hrithik Roshan shared a post asking people to help with donations:
The situation in Kerala is critical. Help is required.
— Hrithik Roshan (@iHrithik) August 18, 2018
Please let’s come forward and do whatever we can. Our friends in Kerela need us right now. I have contributed a sum and I request you all to do whatever you can. God bless #KerelaFloodRelief pic.twitter.com/lllier4SDE
While Varun Dhawan also tweeted asking for those who could help to do so:
If you can help please contribute in anyway possible. I was finding how to help out and @Actor_Siddharth tweet helped me find out about the @CMOKerala relief fund. #istandwithkerela pic.twitter.com/VGyrGeKQWv
— VarunDhawan (@Varun_dvn) August 16, 2018
Race 3 star Jacqueline Fernandez also urged people to assist the needy:
Kerala is on red alert and Habitat for Humanity India is helping those who are stranded! I urge everyone to help those in need..
— Jacqueline Fernandez (@Asli_Jacqueline) August 18, 2018
Donate now: https://t.co/cEKoD9BFOa
While Shahid Kapoor shared a post telling people how they could help:
— Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) August 18, 2018
Millions of dollars in donations have poured in from India and abroad since the extent of the devastation became known. An Indian newspaper's front page went viral after it thanked the UAE for helping with flood relief efforts.
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Read more:
More than a million people in India flood relief camps
India's UAE ambassador calls for cash not supplies to aid flood-hit Kerala
Editorial: It is vital to help restore the dignity of Keralites who have lost everything
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