4,225 rescued in K’taka’s floodhit Kodagu district

KODAGU: A total of 4,225 marooned people have been rescued so far in Karnataka’s floodhit Kodagu district even as incessant rains continued to hamper relief work.

“Though the intensity of rainfall has reduced, the rainfall remained unabated. As of 3 p.m., 4,225 people in Kodagu district have been rescued and brought to safety through joint operations by state and central agencies,” a statement from the state disaster management authority said. Of the rescued, 3,601 are staying in 36 relief shelters in the district.

The unabated rains, leading to flooding and landslips, have claimed eight lives so far in the region, the statement added.

The authorities, however, did not reveal the number of people stranded across the hilly district as communication lines were snapped due to landslides and damage to networks.

Several hundreds are suspected to be stranded in the district’s towns and villages on hilltops, which have been cut off due to landslides and damaged roads.

Located about 270 km from Bengaluru, the district is the worst-hit due to the south-west monsoon rains since June. About 123 km of roads are estimated to be damaged while more than 800 homes have been destroyed due to the rains.

The heavy rains in coastal district of Dakshina Kannada have claimed one life, forcing nearly 800 people to live in temporary shelters, the statement added.

Over 60 people have been stranded in Mukkodlu village of Kodagu district, but airlifting them has not been possible due to the bad weather, chief minister HD Kumaraswamy earlier said.

About 50 Dogra Regiment soldiers, 62 officials from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), 750 fire services officials and home guards with boats have been carrying out relief work in the district.