Kerala temple fire: PM Narendra Modi pledges all help after visiting site

Describing the fire tragedy here as "unimaginable", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday assured Kerala government and its people all help in the hour of crisis as he visited the mishap site near here and a hospital to see the injured people.

"This tragedy is very painful. The extent of the tragedy is unimaginable and such dreadful," he told reporters before concluding his brief visit during which he also held a meeting with Kerala Chief Minister Oomen Chandy.

He said the tragedy is such huge that it is difficult to express it in words as such a large number of people have been injured, with some being beheaded. "This is an hour of crisis and the central government is ready to extend all help to Kerala government and the people of the state," Modi said.

He said he had told the Chief Minister that if he wanted any injured people to be taken to Mumbai or Delhi for specialised treatment, the central government will immediately make arrangements for the same. He extended condolences to those who lost their kin and wished speedy recovery to the injured.