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Indian embassy earlier in the day said it is in touch with Kuwaiti law enforcement authorities. (File)

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced an compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of Indian nationals who have lost their lives in a devastating fire in Kuwait, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Fire engulfed a multi-storey building housing foreign workers in southern Kuwait’s Mangaf area early on Wednesday, killing at least 49 people, mostly Indians, and injuring more than 50 others, according to officials.

Prime Minister Modi chaired a review meeting at his residence here at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg on the fire tragedy in Kuwait, the MEA said in a statement.

Expressing deep sorrow at the unfortunate incident, he extended condolences to the families of those killed and wished a speedy recovery for the injured.

The Prime Minister directed that the government of India should extend all possible assistance. The Minister of State for External Affairs “should immediately travel to Kuwait to oversee the relief measures and facilitate expeditious repatriation of the remains,” it said.

The prime minister announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the killed Indian nationals from the Prime Minister Relief Fund, the statement said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, Pramod Kumar Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, along with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra and other senior officials were also present in the meeting.

The Indian embassy earlier in the day said it is in touch with Kuwaiti law enforcement authorities, fire service and health department for necessary action.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)