Two deaths were reported and over 253 houses partially collapsed in rain-related incidents in Mysuru district in the past week.
Besides, 15 head of cattle died and both horticulture and agriculture crops were damaged in the district owing to rains. According to official sources horticulture crops like banana, coconut and tomato in over 40 hectares were damaged. They said they have not yet received information about the loss of agriculture crops. However many farmers’ leaders including Kurubur Shanthkumar, president of the Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers’ association said both agriculture and horticulture crops were damaged in over 1,000 hectares in the district owing to torrential rains.
The two deaths were reported from K.R. Nagar and Mysuru city.
The district administration has formed teams comprising officials from Horticulture, Agriculture and Revenue departments to carry out crop loss assessment owing to rain across the district. The teams have already commenced surveying the crop loss. The Panchayat Development Officer (PDO) and Village Accountant (VA) have begun assessing damage to houses.
Meanwhile K.H. Jagadish, Commissioner, Mysuru City Corporation, told The Hindu that the MCC had taken precautionary measures to ensure that people would not be put to hardship owing to rains. He said that steps have been taken to prevent overflowing of drains and claimed that MCC staff had been cleaning storm-water and underground drains and removed all blocks.
Abhaya teams
The MCC had formed three Abhaya teams equipped with machineries to take up rescue operations in city. Mr. Jagadish, said that the Abhaya teams would be working round the clock till the rainy season was over. As many 12 jetting machines and nine dredging machines were deployed to take up any rescue work in the city. He claimed that silt was removed from drains in over 70 km stretch and said that blocked UGD lines were also being cleared using machines.