Bengaluru: The flood situation in North Karnataka continues to be grim following the discharge of 3.64 lakh cusecs of water into Karnataka from neighbouring Maharashtra. The discharge is expected to increase on Thursday with no let-up in the deluge in Maharashtra.
Hundreds of villages are inundated and thousands of people have been displaced. Rescue and relief operations are taking time as the rescue teams are finding it difficult to reach the flood-hit villages which are surrounded by water from all sides.
Adding to the misery of the residents, fairly widespread and moderate to heavy rains are expected over many North-Interior Karnataka districts with Belagavi likely to receive very heavy rains for the next two days.
On Wednesday morning, 3.46 lakh cusecs of water was released from Maharashtra causing heavy damage in Belagavi, Bagalkot, Vijayapura and Raichur districts. The inflow of water into the Almatti dam was 3.64 lakh cusces and outflow was 4 lakh cusecs. Similarly, the inflow into Narayanpura dam was 3.95 lakh cusecs and outflow was 4.13 lakh cusecs.
Already, hundreds of houses are marooned in those four districts and people are leaving the villages to save their lives. Joint rescue team comprising of fire and emergency personnel, the state Disaster Management Force, National Disaster Management Force and the Army evacuated 25,794 people on Wednesday. Real time updates on reservoir levels and the flood situation are being closely tracked by senior officers through Whatsapp groups.
Four NDRF teams with flood rescue equipment have been deployed in flood affected areas of Raichur and Belagavi. Four more teams from Vijayawada and Vishakapatnam are expected to arrive anytime and will be deployed in Belagavi and Bagalkote. Eight columns of the Maratha Light Infantry Regiment comprising 400 personnel from the engineering task force and rescue personnel have also been deployed in Belagavi. Similarly, one column of the Artillery Centre, Hyderabad (rescue team and engineering task force) has been deplyed in flood-it areas in Raichur and another column in Bagalkote.
Meanwhile, a team of Indian Air force helicopters stationed at Sambra Airport in Belagavi, has not been able to take off due to inclement weather.Four NDRF teams with flood rescue equipment have been deployed in flood affected areas of Raichur and Belagavi. Four more teams from Vijayawada and Vishakapatnam are expected to arrive anytime and will be deployed in Belagavi and Bagalkote. Eight columns of the Maratha Light Infantry Regiment comprising 400 personnel from the engineering task force and rescue personnel have also been deployed in Belagavi. Similarly, one column of the Artillery Centre, Hyderabad (rescue team and engineering task force) has been deplyed in flood-it areas in Raichur and another column in Bagalkote.
Meanwhile, a team of Indian Air force helicopters stationed at Sambra Airport in Belagavi, has not been able to take off due to inclement weather.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa who was in Delhi since last two days in connection with the cabinet expansion exercise, returned to Bengaluru on Wednesday evening, and left for Belgavi to visit the flood-hit areas. He will be camping in Belgavi district to assess the damage and monitor relief operations.
Mr Yediyurappa who was scheduled to finalise Cabinet formation with the BJP central leadership, cut short his visit after party chief Amit Shah told him to focus his attention on flood relief and rehabilitation in the state. "Today I was supposed to meet the President of India at 5 pm but Amit Shah directed me not to bother about the cabinet expansion, and visit some flood affected areas like Belagavi and four-five other districts," Yediyurappa told reporters after reaching Bengaluru on Wednesday
