The Indian Army joined rescue operations in Karnataka’s Kodagu district on Friday, and rescued more than 800 people stranded due to floods and landslides in the region, which borders Kerala. A column of the Army’s Dogra Regiment, with 60 personnel, as well as its engineering task force, comprising 73 personnel, is on its way to Kodagu, unidentified officials told PTI.
Apart from the Army, 12 of the Indian Navy’s expert divers, a team of the National Disaster Response Force comprising 31 personnel, the State Disaster Response Force with a team of 30 personnel are among those taking part in the operation.
Around 873 people have been rescued so far, and 17 relief camps providing shelter to 573 people have been set up. Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy will visit Kodagu on Saturday to review relief operations in the district. He will chair a high-level meeting in Krishna and then leave for Kodagu, ANI reported. He will visit rain-affected areas in Nanjangood and Kabini on Sunday.
Meanwhile, six trains originating from Bengaluru have been partially or completely cancelled owing to rain and landslides in several places between Donegal and Shrivagilu railway stations, The News Minute reported. Subramanya Road in the Ghat section of Mysuru division has also experienced inclement weather.
The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation has cancelled all bus services from Bengaluru to Kerala, except the buses traveling to Palakkad, in view of the rains and flooding in that state. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation has also cancelled all bus services to Bengaluru.
Flood alerts in Tamil Nadu
Authorities in Tamil Nadu have declared a flood alert in Theni and Madurai districts, PTI reported. As many as 8,410 people have been sheltered in relief camps in the state, due to discharge from the Mullaperiyar and Vaigai dams, Tamil Nadu Revenue Minister RB Udaya Kumar said.
People living at Mayanur in Karur district have also been asked to move to relief camps, with an increase in discharge to three lakh cusecs expected on Saturday. “The 30,000 cusecs per second of additional discharge totalling 2 lakh cusecs from Krishnaraja Sagar and Kabini dams [in Karnataka] and combined discharge from dams, including Bhavani and Amaravati, is expected to be about three lakh cusecs which will reach Mayanur check dam tomorrow early morning,” Udaya Kumar told reporters.
Crops in about 300 hectares have been affected due to flooding in the Cauvery and Bhavani rivers. The Central Water Commission said that the Cauvery river has risen to its peak at Chuchunkatte in Mysuru district, almost two metres above its previous record level.
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