JOIN USBS Yediyurappa to review rain situation in Karnataka
With heavy rainfall wreaking havoc in several parts of north Karnataka, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa is scheduled to review the situation with deputy commissioners of the affected districts on Friday.
Thousands of people have been displaced due to unrelenting heavy rainfall in seven districts - Belagavi, Bidar, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Kalaburagi, Raichur and Yadgir.
“I’m reviewing the situation with all deputy commissioners on Friday. I will also release the necessary funds,” Yediyurappa told reporters. He has directed ministers in charge of districts to go around and review the situation.
“The district in-charge ministers are already visiting the affected regions. Suitable action will be taken on compensation for the damages,” Yediyurappa said.
Kalaburagi seems to be the worst-hit so far with 4,782 people lodged in relief camps. Some 4,819 homes are water-logged and over 1,000 houses have sustained damages due to the heavy rainfall.
In all, 2,712 houses are partially damaged and 318 have been completely battered, according to the latest available data from the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority. One death has been reported in Gadag.
Authorities have set up 54 relief camps that currently house 7,776 people. According to preliminary estimates, agricultural crop losses have occurred on 1,04,418.82 hectares and horticulture crop losses on 3,481.93 hectares.
“I have directed the deputy commissioners to quickly survey losses of human life, animals, homes, crops, roads, bridges and buildings so that compensation can be released immediately,” Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol, who is in charge of Kalaburagi and Bagalkot districts, said in a statement.
Karjol, who was down with Covid-19 recently, said doctors had advised against him travelling. “I am constantly in touch with the DCs and I’m getting minute-by-minute updates on the situation. I have issued directions for relief camps to be set up for those displaced with food and water arrangements made for them,” Karjol said.
The Centre has deployed six additional National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and “the situation is under control,” KSDMA commissioner Manoj Rajan said in a note. "Incessant rainfall in Telangana resulted in heavy discharge from Kottur barrage to Karanja dam in Bhalki, Bidar," Rajan said.
Rescue personnel have already conducted operations that include: 19 farmers who were stranded in their field in Garampalli (Kalaburagi) due to the Mullamari river at spate, three people stranded in Mannali (Bidar) because of the spate in Manjira river and seven people stranded in Morarji Desai school in Malkhed (Kalaburagi).