Karnataka: Heavy rains continue havoc in Kodagu, 52 areas affected by floods

Mysuru: It's not only Kerala that is taking a lashing from the rains, but across the border in Kodagu, Karnataka at least 52 areas have been affected by floods and 14 areas scarred by landslides.

While Kodagu has been under a red alert issued by India Meteorology Department on 5 August, the worst is not over yet. India Meteorological Department has declared an orange alert till 11 August 8 am.

Personnel of the National Disaster Relief Force and SDRF are carrying out operations on Saturday to to trace five people who are missing including the chief priest of the Talacauvery temple, 80-year-old Narayan Achar.

These people are feared trapped in the debris of their houses which were destroyed by landsldes on Thursday in Brahamagiri hills at Talacauvery.

Kodagu district minister V Somanna has directed officers leading rescue teams to procure any necessary equipment to rescue those people.

The floods in Kodagu have affected over 52 places including 18 in Madikeri taluk and 14 in Virajpet taluk. Some 14 places have been hit by landslides including Kadagadaalu, Jodupaala, Neerukolli, Kottamudi, Hodavaada, Abyaala and Dechooru in Madikeri taluk, Athoorunallooru, Thaakeri, Soorlabbi, Madapura and Shanthalli in Somwarpet taluk and Maggula in Virajpet taluk.

As many as 241 families including 561 people including a three-month-old baby from and its family from Balegundi village are rescued by NDRF, Rapid Response team, police department and personnel of fire and emergency services from all these flood and landslide hit places and are housed in nine relief centres including three in Madikeri taluk and six in Virajpet taluk.

Eight roads are also blocked due to floods and landslides. Since Triveni sangama at Bagamandala is flooded Bagamandala-Talacauvery road and Bagamandala-Aiyyangeri roads have lost connectivity.

Since Bhethri bridge is submerged Madikeri-Virajpet, state highway connectivity is lost. Kushalnagar–Madikeri national highway till Guddehosur, Kaggodlu, Kaththalekaadu-Maragodu roads are blocked.

Officers informed that, as many as 1800 electric poles are hampered, 60 percent of the mobile towers are not functioning, 257 trees are uprooted.

Kodagu district minister V Somanna who held a meeting of officers told media that, general public need not send clothes and other things to those flood and landslide hit, instead they can contribute to CM relief fund, he said.

Kodagu DC Annies Kanmani Joy said that they would give ex gratia of Rs 10,000 to all those affected by floods and landslides for immediate relief, Rs 10,000 to those whose household things are hampered and Rs 5 lakh to those who have lost homes.

Kodagu district minister Mr V Somanna along with Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha visited flood hit Nehrunagar and Sainagar in Kushalnagar and assured the people there that they would discuss with Chief Minister to come up with permanent relief plans to such people at flood prone areas.

Kodagu recorded 105.6 mm of average rainfall between 8am on Friday and 8am on Saturday.

Meanwhile due to heavy rains in Kodagu, Harangi reservoir continued to receive heavy inflow of 13,592 cusecs and as much as 14,033 cusecs was released to Cauvery river leading to Krishna Raja Sagara dam and flood alert continued to prevail at Harangi dam downstreams.

Heavy outflow from Harangi and rains in Cauvery catchment area led to increased inflow of 77,848 cusecs at Krishna Raja Sagar dam in Mandya district and 77,642 cusecs was released to Cauvery river leading to Tamilnadu.

While a flood alert has been issued to people at downstreams of KRS, rare birds and islands at Ranganthittu bird sanctuary are under threat like every year.

Also with huge outflow it has been a visual delight at Gaganachukki (in Mandya district) and Bharachukki (in Chamarajnagar district) water falls at Shimsha.

Meanwhile 22 new Covid 19 cases were reported in Kodagu district on Saturday. So far in Kodagu as many as 683 covid 19 positive cases and 11 deaths are reported and 270 cases are active. And there are 193 containment zones in the district.