80 Taluks in Karnataka declared flood-affected

Bengaluru : The Karnataka government on Saturday declared 80 Taluks in 17 districts flood-affected even as the death toll went up to 26 and thousands of people were rendered homeless.

The government passed the order declaring the 80 taluks flood-hit taking into account the damage to the crop, human lives, livestock and basic infrastructure.

The flood-hit Taluks are in Belagavi, Bagalkote, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Vijayapura, Gadag, Haveri, Dharwad, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada and Mysuru districts.

Officials said at least 26 people have died due to flood and rain-related incidents in the past past one week. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be visiting the worst affected Belagavi district on Sunday, state government officials said.

He would also undertake an ariel survey of the other flood-hit areas in the state, they added.

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said never ever a disaster of this magnitude had struck the state in the past 45 years.

He appealed to the people to donate generously to rebuild the flood-hit areas. "Our preliminary assessment suggests that the loss is to the tune of Rs 6,000 crore. We have sought Rs 3,000 crore from the Centre," Yediyurappa told reporters.