Massive flooding in Southern India, 130+ fatalities

[Ronan Kelly]

N. Karnataka cut off, 104 deadOctober 3rd, 2009
DC Correspondent Bengaluru/Bellary/
Belgaum/Raichur

Oct. 2: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, distracted by salubrious Suttur came alive to the perilous state facing north Karnataka as rains for the third consecutive day pushed the death toll to 104.
Hundreds more remain displaced after floods destroyed 50,000 homes, livestock and property. Power and telephone links have snapped.

Five villages in districts of Raichur and Bellary were completely submerged. Many are marooned. Raichur and Gadag remain in darkness.
Announcing the release of Rs 100 crore for relief and calling for central assistance from the prime minister, he said relief measures were on a war footing. ?Four helicopters are conducting search and rescue. Six more are being dispatched by the Air Force,? he said, while issuing an urgent call to survivors not to return to homes ? unless declared safe.? Schools and colleges are closed and will serve as shelters for the homeless.

The health department has been directed to extend emergency services to contain the spread of contagious diseases.

Mr Yeddyurappa, who cancelled his US tour left for Haveri for an aerial survey of the district en route to Bellary, Raichur, Koppal and Gadag.

The National Disaster Response Force, Pune, dispatched 120 experts and 32 boats to Karnataka, where 98 rehabilitation centres have been set up.

13 districts are rain-hit of which Bijapur, Bagalkot, Raichur, Koppal, Bellary and Gadag worst affected. Rs 100 crore released to these districts
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/bengaluru/n-karnataka-cut-104-dead-014

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: N. Karnataka cut off, 104 dead

Re: N. Karnataka cut off, 104 dead

Flood situation worsens
Bangalore, Oct 2, DH News Service :

Responding, though belatedly, to the alarming flood situation in north Karnataka, the State Government on Friday launched a major relief and rescue operation in the region.

As many as 10 Army helicopters, 120 rescue experts of the National Disaster Response Force, Pune, a Naval team from Karwar and several MEG boats have been pressed into service.

?It is an unprecedented rainfall. The situation is serious. The entire government machinery in the affected districts has been pressed into rescue and relief operations,? Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said.

Heavy rain continued unabated for the fourth consecutive day on Friday, marooning more villages and rendering thousands of people homeless.

The death toll has risen to 106, with over 59,000 houses being washed away. As many as 13 lakh people (1.3 million) have been affected across the 13 northern districts of the State.The worst-affected districts are Bijapur, Bagalkot, Raichur, Koppal, Bellary and Gadag.

Heavy floods have forced thousands of people to take refuge either on treetops or tall buildings. Hundreds have fled their homes and taken shelter in public buildings such as schools and community halls. Gruel centres have been opened in 231 places, and food packets were being air dropped, State Revenue Department sources said.
The chief minister, who reviewed the flood situation with top officials of the State Government, Army and Air Force at the Vidhana Soudha, said the people in the flood-hit places had been advised to keep off their homesteads.

Yeddyurappa announced the release of an additional Rs 100 crore for relief work.
The deputy commissioners of the affected districts have at their disposal a total of Rs 349 crore for relief mission. Besides, the government will sanction houses to all who were rendered homeless, under the Ashraya scheme.

The ministers in charge of the affected districts have been asked to camp in their respective zones and monitor relief operations. The chief minister said KPCL Managing Director S M Jaamdar has been named the nodal officer for monitoring relief operations.

BSY speaks to PM

Yeddyurappa said he had spoken to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over phone and appraised him about the flood situation.

He added that he had requested the prime minister to provide immediate financial assistance to tackle the calamity. The State will submit a fresh memorandum to the Centre, seeking additional funds for relief work, Yeddyurappa said, adding that the Centre was yet to respond to a request to release Rs 712 crore.

The CM along with the chief secretary will conduct an aerial survey of the flood-hit districts of Bellary, Raichur, Koppal and Gadag on Sunday. He has also convened an all-party meeting that day to discuss the flood situation and initiate further action. Yeddyurappa has requested the Centre to provide him with a special Air Force helicopter to conduct the aerial survey.

Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa on Friday said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had assured him of immediate aid from the Centre.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/28443/flood-situation-worsens.html

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: N. Karnataka cut off, 104 dead

Re: N. Karnataka cut off, 104 dead

Flood situation in Andhra grim, toll rises to 26
Hyderabad, Oct 2 (IANS)

The flood situation in Andhra Pradesh turned more grim on Friday as the death toll rose to 26, hundreds of people were trapped in flood waters and thousands more were rendered homeless.


The state government has sought help from the army for rescue and relief operations, especially in Kurnool district where Kurnool and Mantralayam towns are marooned. Kurnool town is about 250 km from state capital Hyderabad.

Hundreds of villages in Kurnool, Mahabubnagar, Krishna and Guntur districts were cut off following incessant rain over the last two days under the influence of a low pressure area over the Bay of Bengal.

Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers are reaching danger levels while several rivulets are overflowing, tanks have breached inundating towns and villages in the affected districts.
The flood waters from Srisailam dam across Krishna river has flooded Kurnool town while Tungabhadra waters have gushed into Mantralyam town, which is 120 km from Kurnool town. With water level on the ground rising to five feet, hundreds of people have taken shelter on rooftops in both towns.

The bus station in Mantralayam town is under water while some passengers have climbed on top of the building. Raghuvendraswamy temple has completely drowned, officials said.

Chief Minister K. Rosaiah, who reviewed the situation at an emergency meeting, told reporters that bad weather was hampering rescue and relief operations. "I spoke to defence minister A.K. Antony and sought help for rescue and relief," he said.

The chief minister said while six helicopters including two from Bangalore were ready to take up rescue operations, continuing rain and overcast skies were hampering the efforts. He appealed to people trapped in flood waters not to panic and to wait for help.
The situation may worsen in Kurnool, Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, Krishna and Guntur districts as the water levels in Krishna, Tungabhadra were increasing every hour following heavy rain upstream in neighbouring Karnataka.
The chief minister has asked all district collectors to remain on high alert as weather experts have forecast more rain over the next two days. According to Visakhapatnam Cyclone Warning Centre, heavy rain under the impact of the low pressure area was likely in north coastal Andhra, Telangana and Rayalaseema regions.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/28325/flood-situation-andhra-grim-toll.html

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Massive flooding in Southern India, 130+ fatalities

Rain fury claims 132 lives in Karnataka

STAFF WRITER 16:15 HRS IST
Bangalore, Oct 3 (PTI) Torrential rain that battered various parts of Karnataka have claimed 132 lives in the past six days even as the state government intensified relief and rescue operations in 15 rain-hit districts.

Briefing reporters, State Home Minister V S Acharya said the highest number of 28 deaths were registered in Bijapur followed by Raichur (19) and Koppal (18).

Bagalkote and Gulbarga recorded 13 deaths each, Davanagere (nine), Uttarakand (five), Gadag (seven), Bellary (nine), Bidar (four) and Belgaum (seven) from Sept 28 to Oct3, he said.

Fifteen districts have been impacted in varying degrees by the monsoon fury, he said, adding, the unprecedented rain in northern Karnataka has damaged 1,03,291 houses.

Rescue operations were on in full swing in Kadawada village in Uttara Kannada district where a major landslide buried eight houses. According to eyewitnesses, around 11-21 people were feared trapped.
http://ptinews.com/news/312220_Rain-fury-claims-132-lives-in-Karnataka