Centre will extend all assistance to Karnataka, says BS Yediyurappa

Bengaluru: The Central government has assured of extending all assistance to Karnataka to deal with the situation arising out of severe floods and incessant rains in parts of the State, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said on Friday. "I am in constant touch with the Central government", Yeddyurappa told reporters at Mudhol in Bagalkot district, where he interacted with the flood-affected people and later undertook an aerial survey.

He said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have been briefed on the rescue and relief efforts in Karnataka. "The Centre will extend all assistance... from a financial point of view... they have also assured of help in other means," the Chief Minister said. As per the last count, nearly 44,000 people have been evacuated from flood-hit and rain-affected areas of Karnataka, where the rain fury has left nine people dead in the past few days.

The worst-hit was Belagavi district, where six people have lost their lives while 40,180 people have been evacuated by rescue teams comprising Fire and Emergency department, State Disaster Response Force, National Disaster Response Force and Army. The floods and rains have left a trail of destruction in vast areas of north, coastal and Malnad districts of the state. Besides Belagavi, other affected districts include Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Raichur, Yadgiri, Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Shivamogga, Kodagu and Chikkamagalur. "Definitely not", Yediyurappa responded when asked if he "felt lonely" in dealing with the flood and rain situation as he is running a one-man Ministry.

Yediyurappa, who was sworn in as Chief Minister on July 26 but is yet to expand his Cabinet, said legislators and MPs are supporting him and giving him strength, adding, they were working hard in relief efforts. Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy announced that all legislators of his party would donate one month's salary for relief works in north Karnataka, reeling under the floods.

Kumaraswamy said he was not able to visit flood-hit areas as he was down with a fever, adding, he would tour the region in a day or two. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Dinesh Gundu Rao has requested the Prime Minister to declare the flood situation in Karnataka as a national calamity and release Rs 5,000 crore special grant immediately.