Personnel of the Army and the State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) have been deputed for the rescue and relief operations in Belagavi district. A team of 90 Army, 43 SDRF and 75 fire and emergency personnel are working in the villages.
Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), with a total of 50 personnel, will arrive in Chikkodi by evening, officials said. They will be equipped with six boats, and other materials.
They will join the police and revenue officers in rescue and relief operations in 69 affected villages in the district. The Karnataka government has already pressed into service 30 boats to evacuate stranded families. An NDRF team of 30 personnel will be sent to Raichur. As many as 1,049 people in six villages are affected by flooding in Raichur district.
In Belagavi district, gruel centres have been set up in Ingali, Yadur, Shivagur, Jugal Shahapur, Radevatti, Saptargaon, Nagnur and Barawada. “Most of the affected families have gone to the houses of their relatives. But some are taking shelter in the gruel centres. Police and other personnel are on duty round the clock,” SP Lakshman Nimbargi told The Hindu .
32 villages on high alert
Deputy Commissioner S.B. Bommahanalli has issued a warning to farmers and others to stay away from rivers, water bodies and low lying areas. Residents of two villages have been shifted to safer places. A high alert has been sounded in 32 villages. Warnings have also been issued in 37 other villages on the banks of the Krishna.
As Maharashtra is releasing around 2.1 lakh cusecs of water every day, the water level in the Krishna is expected to increase by four feet. This could not only damage crops, but also affect life in villages on the banks of the river, Mr. Bommanahalli said. The DC and SP visited some of the affected villages in the district on Saturday and Sunday.
Nodal officers have been deputed for taluka-wise supervision. Whatsapp groups have been created through which the DC, SP, reserve police and other stake holders are connected.
Crop damage
Initial estimates say crops on 900 hectares of land have been damaged.
Round-the-clock helplines have been opened in the DC office (08312407290) and SP office (08312405231).
The Indian Meteorological Department forecast for Satara and surrounding areas in Maharashtra, which form the catchment area for the river Krishna, is extremely heavy rainfall on August 4 and heavy rainfall for August 5 to 7. However, the forecast for Karnataka is that rainfall is likely to reduce after August 6.
Water level in LBS dam in Alamatti is 518.27 metres, with an inflow of 2.28 lakh cusecs and an outflow of 2.58 lakh cusecs.
Water level in Narayanpur dam is 490.66 metres with an inflow of 2.3 lakh cusecs and an outflow of 2.36 lakh cusecs.
