Bhubaneswar: The state government has arranged special trains to bring back Odias trapped in flood-hit Kerala and sent a team to monitor the evacuation process.

Odisha's labour commissioner Anjan Kumar Manik said: "The government has arranged three special coaches free of cost to bring back Odias stranded there. If required we will arrange for more coaches."

Special relief commissioner Bisnupada Sethi said the government had opened a 24x7 control room and a helpline. "We are collecting details about the people who require help and are co-ordinating with our Kerala counterparts."

So far, sources in the disaster management control room said they had received information about at least 467 Odias in Kerala who have sought immediate help.

The chief minister's office tweeted: "As directed by CM@Naveen_Odisha, special coaches reserved in Trivandrum/Kochi to Bhubaneswar trains for bringing home Odia workers stranded in #KeralaFloods. Kochuveli-Bhubaneswar special train engaged in same; Odisha Government ready to fund more special trains #OdishaForKerala."

A release of the East Coast Railway said a special train left Kochuveli on Mondaycarrying stranded passengers of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. It will reach Berhampur at 12.50am on Wednesday and Bhubaneswar at 3.45am.

Apart from this, two special trains from Ernakulam left for Howrah on Sunday. These trains will reach Bhubaneswar at 7.30am on Tuesday. One special train left Thiruvananthapuram on Monday for Silchar. This train is expected to reach Bhubaneswar on Wednesday morning.

Reports say that around 21 weavers of 11 self-help groups from Odisha have been shifted to Thiruvananthapuram. They had gone there to take part in a crafts fair at Allapuzha in Allepay district.

"The festival was cancelled after heavy rain and deluge on August 15 night. All the textile and craft materials we had brought for display and sale have been damaged," said a weaver. Panchayati raj minister Pradeep Maharathy said: "They are safe and arrangements are being made for their return."

In another development, the IAS Officers' Association of Odisha and the IPS Officers' Association of the state have decided to donate minimum of one-day salary for the flood victims of Kerala.

"The association resolves to contribute a minimum of one-day salary of its members to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund of Kerala," a resolution of the IAS officers' body reads.