Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday announced the ex-gratia payment of Rs four lakh each to the kin of those who lost their lives in the devastating floods that have hit the state.

The floods have claimed 27 lives so far. The deaths were reported from Idukki, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram districts since the rains came down heavily since Wednesday.