The flood situation remained grim on Sunday in four districts of Karnataka with Krishna and Bhima rivers in spate as the Army, the national and state disaster response forces undertook rescue work, evacuating hundreds of marooned people, officials said.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said many villages in Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, Yadgir and Raichur districts were either completely or partially submerged due to floods caused by heavy rains last week and he would undertake an aerial survey of the affected areas on October 21.
According to the Karnataka Disaster Management Authority (KDMA), a total of 20,269 people, including 15,078 in badly- hit Kalaburgi, have been evacuated so far by the personnel of the Army, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) besides local police and district authorities.
There was no loss to human lives anywhere in the flood affected areas whereas two cattle died in Vijayapura, KDMA Commissioner Manoj Rajan said.
A total of 111 villages in the four districts have been affected by the floods, caused by heavy rains and water released by the dams in neighbouring Maharashtra.
“Two NDRF, one SDRF and one Army column have been deployed in Kalaburagi while two Indian Air Force helicopters are on standby. Similarly, the NDRF and the Army personnel are deployed in other three districts. Situation is under control,” Rajan told PTI.
Joining the rescue and relief operations on the request of the state government, the Indian Army sent out its columns in Hydrabad. Several stranded persons were evacuated and food packets distributed, a statement said. The Army Medical teams accompanying the columns are providing essential first aid and relief to the stranded people.
