The State government has urged the Centre to release Rs 300 crore for flood relief works even as the situation improved in most parts of the State barring Kodagu, Belgaum and Bellary districts. According to reports, two people who were washed away were found dead in Shimoga district while one person died in a house collapse in Harihara in Davangere district.
Bodies of Manjunatha (20), son of Shankarappa and Manjunatha (21), son of Shekharappa, residents of Thimmapura village in Sorab taluk, drowned in the waters of River Varada. Their bodies were traced near Bankasana on Thursday. The toll in the district in rain-related tragedies in the past five days rose to seven.
In Shimoga, Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who toured the affected areas, urged the Centre to release Rs 300 crore as 13 districts were battered by rains. The loss, according to preliminary estimates, was around Rs 1,000 crore. The State Cabinet will meet in Bangalore in the next 3 to 4 days to discuss the issue and the district in-charge ministers asked to furnish reports.
The government will take an all-party delegation to New Delhi to brief the Centre on rain havoc.
The government will also ask the Centre to send teams to assess damage. The DyCM promised adequate compensation to farmers.
A Belgaum report said with the increase in the outflow of water from Maharashtra reservoirs and continued rainfall, 24 bridges were submerged. A house caved in at Darbar Galli in Belgaum.
Several families from the inundated areas of Gokak town were shifted to safer areas. In Raichur, several villages in Sindhanur and Manvi taluks were marooned.
According to a Davangere report, Hanumanthappa (48) was killed in a house collapse taking the toll in the district to five.
Schools in Kodagu will remain closed for two more days as rain lashed many parts of the district.
According to reports, there was improvement in the situation in Dharwad and Haveri districts, but the scene was bad in Bellary district.
On Thursday, the flood waters entered the ruins of the world-famous Hampi town in Hospet taluk. The water engulfed the entire area up to Basavanna temple. The historic ‘Ratha Beedhi’ was flooded.
There have been floods in the Tungabhadra river after a gap of nearly 15 years.
