UAE to provide aid to flood-hit Kerala; Sheikh Khalifa appeals for generous contribution

Agencies

August 18, 2018

Abu Dhabi, Aug. 18: United Arab Emirates (UAE) has formed a committee to provide relief to the people affected by flash floods in Kerala.

UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan took to Twitter to make the announcement and urged "everyone to contribute generously towards this initiative."

"The people of Kerala have always been and are still part of our success story in the UAE. We have a special responsibility to help and support those affected, especially during this holy and blessed days" his first tweet read.

Sheikh Khalifa further wrote, "UAE and the Indian community will unite to offer relief to those affected. We have formed a committee to start immediately. We urge everyone to contribute generously towards this initiative."

Describing the situation in Kerala as "the most devastating in a century," the UAE President added, "The state of Kerala in India is currently witnessing huge floods, the most devastating in a century. Hundreds have been killed, hundreds of thousands have been displaced. Ahead of Eid Al Adha, do not forget to extend a helping hand to our brothers in India."

To be chaired by the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), the national emergency committee will include representatives from the UAE's humanitarian organisations, according to Gulf News.

Sheikh Khalifa, UAEs Vice President and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan expressed grief and extended condolences to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on loss of life and damage in the Kerala floods. They also wished a speedy recovery for the injured.

According to recent reports, at least 324 people have lost their lives. Kerala has been witnessing incessant rainfall over the last few days, causing unprecedented flooding and landslides in several parts of the state.

Presently, Prime Minister Modi is in Kerala to review the flood situation.

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Elusive bamboo shrimp resurfaces in Mangaluru estuary after 70 years

News Network

December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

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