A firm in Oman sacked an employee from Kerala on Sunday after he posted “insensitive comments” about flood victims in the state, Khaleej Times reported. The Lulu Group International’s Oman branch said its cashier Rahul Cheru Palayattu had mocked the sanitary needs of those affected by the flood while commenting on a Facebook post.

Palayattu posted an apology on the social networking platform after he faced criticism for his comments. “I am really sorry for what I did,” the cashier said in a video. “I was in an inebriated state when I posted that message. At that time I did not know what I did was a grave mistake.”

Lulu Group’s Chief Compliance Officer V Nandakumar said, “The company took immediate steps to terminate his services and sent out a very loud and clear message to the society about our stance in such issues.” Nandakumar said the organisation stands for humanitarian values and the highest ethical practices.

The floods in Kerala have killed at least 357 people since May 29. Rescue operations are underway to take people to safety.

The United Arab Emirates has set up a national emergency committee to assist in relief work in flood-affected Kerala. Oman, too, has decided to send a special flight with relief material to the southern state, which is currently facing the worst floods it has had in a century. United Arab Emirates Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum had said his country had a “special responsibility” to help the state as its people had “always been and are still part of our [UAE’s] success story”.