They walked across swollen Krishna to escape death

Over 30 people, including a Child Development Project Officer, who had stranded at 'island' villages in Lingasugur taluk for six days, risked their lives to cross the swollen Krishna river on the inundated Jaladurg bridge on Thursday.

After they learnt that the outflow from Narayanpur reservoir was reduced to 5.46 lakh cusec, a group of villagers, tourists, farmers and CDPO Premmurthy, stranded at Jaladurg since Saturday, crossed the river in groups of five to six holding each other tightly.

On Saturday, Yelagundi and Jaladurg bridges submerged when 5.85 lakh cusec water was released downstream Krishna from Narayanpur. The outflow crossed 6.5 lakh cusec-mark as people stranded at Jaladurg took shelter at Sangamanath Temple. Despite repeated pleas to the district administration to bail us out, nothing came our way, laments Veersangappa, a victim.

Sangappa Mural, who endured untold hardships along with over 30 others at Jaladurg, shared his near-death experience with DH, "After having endured great pain for six days, we decided to cross the swollen Krishna river which is flowing about three feet over the bridge on Thursday. This after we got to know that the outflow from Narayanapur decreased. The district administration, which sent boats for the officials to cross the river, did not bother to bail us out. Had it not been for the help extended by the villagers, we would have died there," he said.

CDPO Premmurthy, along with the officials of various departments, was deputed to the island villages in Lingasugur taluk to oversee relief.

"I was deputed as in charge of the relief centre at the flood-hit village. Other officials, who were stranded in the marooned villages, crossed the river which was in spate through the boats sent by the district administration. And left me behind to fend for myself. We risked our lives to cross the swollen Krishna after help did not come our way," the CDPO lamented.