Respite for North Karnataka, but Kodagu battered: 80,000 people evacuate

Bengaluru: Flooded homes, devastating landslides, closed highways, marooned villagers and dead cattle -- Karnataka has not seen a natural catastrophe of this magnitude in recent years with the flood situation worsening in Kodagu, the Malnad region and the coastal districts on Friday while there was a slight improvement in north Karnataka including Belagavi district which was left battered and bruised in the past few days.

The death toll has touched 16 amid reports that eight people were buried alive and eight others were missing as torrential rain for the five consecutive day aggravated the flood situation and set off landslides in Kodagu and Mysuru. A record 2,07,212 people were rescued-1.45 lakh in Belagavi, 21,360 in Bagalkote and 35,680 people in Dharwad. Choppers of the IAF dropped food and medicine for the hapless villagers in seven villages in Uttara Kannada district as rescue teams were unable to reach these villages.

The defence ministry has deployed four choppers for rescue operations while three teams of the Coast Guard and Navy divers have been put into service in Uttara Kannada. CM B.S. Yediyurappa who has been camping in the flood-hit region for the past few days, announced Rs 100 crore for the affected districts.

The CM is likely to visit Kodagu where the situation has turned grim. On Friday, he faced an unpleasant situation when some people tried to lay siege to his cavalcade in Gadag district, complaining of inadequate relief. Yediyurappa said PM Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have been briefed on the flood situation. “Definitely not,” he responded when asked if he “felt lonely” in dealing with the situation as he is running a one-man ministry.

Meanwhile, a video has emerged showing two motorcycle-borne youth being swept away when temporary bridge they were crossing gave way at Korangaala in Kodagu.