Intervene to release central funds: Yeddyurappa appeals to Patil

Patil spoke to Yeddyurappa over telephone yesterday and expressed her concern over the flood-situation that has left behind a trail of destruction and loss of 206 lives as of last evening.

Yeddyurappa, in a letter to the President, said the state government has already requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to release Rs 10,000 crore for such works and has urged the Centre to declare the floods as a national calamity.

According to officials, the prime minister is expected to conduct an aerial survey of the affected regions on Friday.

The preliminary estimate of the loss by rain and flash floods in 15 districts of Karnataka has been pegged at around Rs 17,000 crore.

Nearly three lakh houses have been partly or fully damaged. Standing crop in 25 lakh hectares has been extensively damaged. The standing bridges, drinking water installations and power supply infrastructure in 15 districts have been damaged to a great extent, Yeddyurappa said.

Meanwhile, 6.6 lakh people have been accommodated in 1,619 relief camps. As many as 5,197 persons have been rescued by boats and helicopters.