It is a race against time for people trapped amid landslips even as rescue operations in Kodagu on Friday continued to be hindered by inclement weather.
In view of the gravity of the situation, Indian Navy will be deployed in the district. Naval personnel from Karwar are expected to join the rescue mission on Saturday.
The proposed airlifting and use of helicopter was hampered by intermittent rain, prolonging the uncertainty of several people trapped at Mukkodlu, Hebbageri, Kattakeri, Yemmathalu, Meghathalu, and surrounding villages that have been marooned.
There were reports of several landslips in the hilly areas on Friday as well and a large number of people are reported missing. Additional Deputy Commissioner Praveen Kumar told The Hindu that many villages were still cut off owing to landslips though 1,500 people had been evacuated to relief centres so far.
An Army contingent, which is in Kodagu since Thursday night, has been drafted for rescue and relief operations, supplementing the efforts of the State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF).
The Army personnel have brought sophisticated equipment for rescue and relief works, besides moving in food, according to Relief Commissioner Gangaram Baderia.
The district administration has established 20 relief centres or ‘ganji kendras’ to provide temporary succour, including food, for those displaced by the devastation.
Apart from Mukkodlu, Makkanduru is another village that bore the brunt of nature’s fury. Hattihole, which is in spate, has swept away large tracts of agricultural fields besides marooning the village, forcing local residents to move to safe places.
A landslip at Jodupala village left the area devastated and the Army and SDRF personnel rescued about 200 stranded people here. In Madikeri, a few shops were flattened by a mound of earth following a landslip.
A contingent of 90 Army personnel reached out to rescue people of Yemmathalu and surrounding areas. But more people are feared trapped in the vicinity and approaching them has become difficult owing to incessant rain.
Landslips were reported from Mukkodlu, Tanthipala and surrounding areas, leaving residents disconnected from mainland Kodagu. Madikeri itself is out of bounds for heavy vehicles because of the bad condition of the roads. Several houses have been damaged owing to floods.
The road connecting Mysuru to Madikeri via Periyapatna was under water at Kushalnagar where the Cauvery was in spate. As a result, vehicles were being diverted via Harangi Road.
Kushalanagar flooded
The commercial town of Kushalanagar was inundated as the Cauvery is overflowing. Rows of commercial establishments were flooded while a church and a few garages along the main road, as also vehicles meant for repairs, were submerged.
The Cauvery bridge connecting Koppa village with Kushalnagar was inches away from being submerged as the outflow from the Harangi reservoir in the upstream was at the rate of 78,900 cusecs on Friday morning, which is a record for recent years.
Highway closed
A stretch of Mysuru–Nanjangud highway was closed for traffic again on Friday, the second time in the last one week, after water from the swollen Kabini overflowed on the road. The outflow from the Kabini reservoir was at over 86,000 cusecs, which led to the flooding. The Mysuru–Nanjangud road is also part of the National Highway 766, which connects Bengaluru with Ooty. A note from the Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru said there was a “situation” at Ponkhuzhi on NH 766, about 20 km from Bathery and 100 km from Mysuru, because of inundation of the road. “But now it is fit for traffic,” the statement issued early on Friday said.
CM’s tour
Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy will visit the rain-hit areas in Kodagu on Saturday. He will visit flood-affected places in Nanjangud and surrounding areas on Sunday.