Kerala CM urges people to use social media responsibly

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinaryai Vijayan on Sunday urged the people of the flood-ravaged state to use social media cautiously in order to stop the spread of false news of the devastation.

“Attention: Efforts are in progress to save even the last person stranded. Many of the requests coming to helpline numbers are for people who are already rescued. Sending erroneous information can only delay rescue efforts. Kindly forward only messages that are valid,” the chief minister’s office said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, a video has gone viral showing a helicopter pilot engaged in rescue operations where people wave out to him. But when he asked the people to get in the chopper, they refused saying that it was only to get a selfie.

As of Sunday, the toll from the torrential rains and the subsequent floods that has ravaged Kerala since August 9 stood at 370.