London inferno: May announces Rs 41 crore of payments to residents

TIL Desk/World/London/ British Prime Minister Theresa May has announced a package of measures to help the families affected by the Grenfell Tower fire, including 5 million (Rs 41 crore) of cash handouts to be distributed to residents, after the government received more criticism over its botched response to the disaster.

After being widely denounced for failing to meet victims face to face, the prime minister paid two visits to the scene of the deadly blaze on Friday. She met victims at a nearby hospital before returning to Downing Street to chair a two-hour crisis meeting to agree what action should be taken.

May then returned to the area, where families affected by the blaze were gathered in a church to speak to her. Speaking after her visit, May said: The individual stories I heard this morning at Chelsea and Westminster hospital were horrific. I spoke with people who ran from the fire in only the clothes they were wearing.

They have been left with nothing no bank cards, no money, no means of caring for their children or relatives. The 5 million fund will be distributed by the local council to help affected families pay for anything they need, including funeral costs. May said it would give victims the immediate support they need to care for themselves and for loved ones and said support measures would be constantly reviewed to see what more was needed.