Karnataka evacuates 31,360 from flood-hit Belagavi, Uttar Kannada

Bengaluru: Karnataka revenue minister, R. Ashoka said on Sunday that due to heavy rains for the last two weeks across north Karnataka region, thousands of people were displaced and at least 31,360 people have been evacuated from low-lying areas so far in this region.

Ashoka, who is also vice-chairman of the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), told reporters that more than 22,417 people have been rehabilitated in 237 relief camps set up in this region.

According to data shared by the KSDMA, as many as 283 villages in 45 taluks were worst affected due to widespread rains.

He added that at least nine people have died in rain related incidents in the last 72 hours and three others are missing in the flood-affected regions of the state.

The KSDMA data stated that more than 3,502 electric poles have been uprooted and 342 transformers were damaged due to which electricity supply in several villages has been disrupted.

The minister added that agriculture crops in around 59,000 hectare and around 2,000 hectare horticulture crops were submerged due to excess release of water and heavy rains in the north Karnataka region. "As many as 134 houses have collapsed, 2,480 houses partially, while 213 schools have been partially damaged due to excess rains in the region," he explained.

He added that villages in Shivamogga district were worst affected due to uprooting of 2,864 electric poles and the damage of 274 transformers due to which most of the villages in this district are facing electric supply disruption.

He also added that the state has also recorded 16 major landslides in districts that are in Western Ghat range, while across the north-Karnataka region, there have been 73 minor landslides, throwing traffic out of gear.

"We would need at least a month to have these highways repaired once the rain recedes. The KSDMA is well equipped as it has been constantly monitoring the situation using its 16 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams and seven National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams in these flood ravaged districts," the minister explained.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had sounded a red alert in Karnataka on Friday night in the districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, and Kodagu while an orange alert was also issued in the Belagavi and Dharwad districts.

After reviewing the flood situation, Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Saturday directed the district in-charge ministers to stay put in their respective districts and monitor the relief and rescue operations in the areas.