Army joins rescue operations in Kodagu

The army has joined operations to rescue people stranded in floods and landslides in rain-battered Kodagu district.

Several districts of coastal and Malnad regions of the State, such as Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chikkmagaluru, Kodagu, and parts of Hassan and Uttara Kannada, have been facing the brunt of incessant rains in the last few days.

“Army has joined the rescue operation along with National Disaster Response Force, Fire department, Quick Response Team, among others,” the Chief Minister’s office said in a statement.

Chief Secretary Vijay Bhaskar informed Chief Minister Kumaraswamy about the rescue operations in the flood and landslide-hit districts of coastal and Malnad regions, it said.

The statement said the Chief Minister was also constantly in touch with the district in-charge ministers who are stationed in their respective districts to monitor the rescue operations. In-charge secretaries are managing the rescue operations.

Kumaraswamy had yesterday announced a grant-in-aid of ₹200 crore to the affected districts for relief work. He had also directed the district administrations to estimate the losses and submit a report in a couple of days, following which the State government is expected to approach the Centre for help.

Godavari in spate

The Godavari river is in spate in Andhra Pradesh and Telengana with the government machinery put on alert in three districts on Friday following the first flood warning, officials said.

As the river carried over 12 lakh cusecs of water in the wake of heavy rains in catchment areas, emergency rescue and relief teams, including that of national and state disaster response forces, have been positioned in East and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh to meet any eventuality.

Two villages have been marooned in East Godavari district leading to evacuation of around 100 families as the first flood warning was issued in the state and in Badrachalam in Telangana.

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister (Home) N China Rajappa appealed to people living along the river’s banks in East and West Godavari districts to be on alert and move to safety when required.

The water flow at Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowaleswaram in East Godavari District was over 12.1 lakh cusecs, prompting officials to issue the first warning. The second warning will be issued when the discharge crosses 13 lakh cusecs, the State Disaster Management Authority said.

In Telengana, water level in the Godavari river in the temple town of Bhadrachalam was close to the second warning mark of 48 feet today, officials said in Hyderabad. Bhadradri-Kothagudem District Collector Rajiv Gandhi Hanumanthu has directed the official machinery to be on alert.

A flood control room had been opened and further measures, including setting up relief camps for accommodating people from low-lying areas, would be taken based on further rise in the water level, they said.

East Godavari district Collector Kartikeya Misra told PTI over phone from Kakinada that the situation was under control right now and they were closely monitoring the situation.

“Some 100 families have been affected in the two villages under Devipatnam mandal that were marooned and we have moved them to safety. Revenue, police, the NDRF and SDRF teams have been deployed in Rajamahendravaram and we are prepared to tackle any eventuality,” he said.

Construction work on the Polavaram dam had been stopped in view of the flood in the Godavari. Water level at Polavaram was around 42 feet this afternoon.

Flood alert in TN

A flood alert has been sounded in Theni and Madurai districts of Tamil Nadu and people living along the banks of the Cauvery and the Bhavani advised to move to safer places, even as over two lakh cusecs of water was discharged from three dams, including Mettur.

As many as 8,410 people have been sheltered in relief camps in Tamil Nadu in view of the heavy inflow from Karnataka reservoirs and combined discharge of over 2.30 lakh cusecs from Mettur, Bhavani Sagar and Amaravathi dams, officials said today.

With over 2.07 lakh cusecs being released from the KRS reservoir and Kabini in Karnataka, inflow into the Mettur dam stood at 1.70 lakh cusecs this morning.

The water level in the dam stood at 120.24 feet against the full level of 120 feet, officials said, adding, 1.70 lakh cusecs was being discharged.

Following heavy inflow and discharge from the Periyar and Vaigai dams, a flood alert has been sounded now in Theni and Madurai districts, Revenue Minister R B Udaya Kumar said.

With this, the alert has been issued in 13 districts.

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