Inaugural ceremony of Loka Kerala Sabha cultural programme cancelled following Kuwait fire tragedy

Kerala [India], June 13 (ANI): Following the major fire in an apartment complex in Kuwait in which at least 40 Indians, of which a majority of them hailing from Kerala, lost their lives, the inaugural conference, seminar and related programmes of the fourth edition of the Loka Kerala Sabha have been cancelled.

“The Loka Kerala Sabha meeting will be held on June 14 and 15 as scheduled. However, there will be no celebrations,” the Chief Minster’s Office said in a statement.

According to reports more than 40 Indians have perished over 50 sustained injuries in the major blaze that broke out at a labour housing facility in the Mangaf area of Kuwait on Wednesday.

The event was set to be inaugurated at the Kerala Assembly’s R Sankara Narayanan Thampi Members’ Lounge.

Loka Kerala Sabha is an initiative by the Kerala government that aims to unite the Malayali diaspora scattered across the globe under one comprehensive platform.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed grief over the incident and urged foreign minister S Jaishankar to ensure necessary arrangements for rescue operations.

“Deeply saddened by the tragic fire accident at the flat complex in Mangaf, Kuwait, claiming over 40 lives and injuring many. Reports indicate that several Keralites are among the victims. Wrote to the External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, requesting to ensure necessary arrangements to coordinate rescue operations. Sharing the grief of the families and friends of the deceased and wishing speedy recovery to the injured,” he said in a post on X.

The Ministry of External Affairs said the injured are being treated in five government hospitals in Kuwait.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh has been sent to Kuwait by Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi to oversee assistance of those injured and to coordinate with local authorities for the early repatriation of mortal remains of those who died.

Before departing for Kuwait the Union Minister told reporters at Delhi airport that some of the bodies have been charred beyond recognition.

“The maximum people are from Kerala and other parts of South India and the identification process is underway…,” he said, adding, “We will stay there as long as we are needed.

PM Modi expressed his grief over the mishap in Kuwait City adding that his thoughts are with the family and close ones of the victims of the incident.

The Indian Embassy in Kuwait put in place an emergency helpline number +965-65505246.

According to a report in the Kuwait Times, the fire erupted just after 4:00 am, when the majority of the 196 all-men residents of the seven-storey building were asleep. It resulted in huge thick clouds of black smoke that led to the suffocation of most of the victims, according to officials from the Kuwait’s interior ministry and the fire department.

The blaze, according to the foreign ministry of Kuwait “claimed the lives of 49 citizens of the Indian community residing in the State of Kuwait”.

Indian Ambassador Adarsh Swaika visited the site of the blaze and met injured people at hospitals.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar posted on X that he was “deeply shocked by the news” and offered “deepest condolences to the families of those who tragically lost their lives”.

He also spoke on the phone with his Kuwaiti counterpart Abdullah Al-Yahya, who “expressed the condolences of the leadership, government and people of Kuwait”.