CM Kumaraswamy conducting an aerial survey of flood-hit Kodagu. (Source: CM of Karnataka/Twitter)
More than 3,500 people have been rescued till today in Kodagu district of Karnataka, where six people have lost their lives in floods and landslides following heavy rains in the past several days. President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, who is camping in the rain-battered district, over the phone and enquired about the situation.
Modi assured to extend all required assistance to the state to face the situation, the Chief Minister’s office said. “Extended all possible support in the rescue and relief operations. I pray for the safety and well-being of those in the flood affected areas,” the PM tweeted.
Spoke to Karnataka CM Shri @hd_kumaraswamy Ji regarding the flood situation in parts of the state. Extended all possible support in the rescue and relief operations. I pray for the safety and well-being of those in the flood affected areas. @CMofKarnataka
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 19, 2018
Kumaraswamy informed Kovind that the district administration was managing the rescue-and-relief work efficiently, along with the army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other agencies, and have rescued more than 3,500 people so far, the CMO said in a statement.
As many as 317 people, including a two-month-old infant, were rescued and shifted to relief centres since yesterday and rescue operations were on in and around Makkandooru and other affected areas today, they said. Food and basic amenities have been arranged at all the 31 relief shelters.
Nearly 1,000 personnel from the Armed Forces, National and State Disaster Response Forces, Civil Defence Teams, Fire and Emergency Personnel have been pressed into the rescue work since August 15. Local youths and volunteers of various organisations are also assisting in the operations.
Kumaraswamy undertook an aerial survey of affected areas for the second day today. He also assessed the situation in a few other areas of the district by visiting them. Speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister said the government was taking steps so that relief, especially food reached everyone, even in the remotest places.
Describing the situation as a difficult time, he said the government’s intention is to bring people out of fear and anxiety that they are going through, by rescuing them first. Later speaking to people at a relief camp at Suntikoppa, Kumaraswamy said his government would take all steps for rehabilitation of the people of Kodagu.
He held a meeting with the district administration and senior officials and reviewed the rescue and relief work. Karnataka BJP unit President B S Yeddyurappa also visited Kodagu district and assured to get required assistance from the party-led central government.
President of India Ramnath Kovind today called CM HD Kumaraswamy& inquired about the situation in Kodagu.
The CM briefed him on the Kodagu district administration’s commendable job. The CM thanked the @rashtrapatibhvn for calling & expressing solidarity with the people of Kodagu pic.twitter.com/IhbtgZMlL9— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) August 19, 2018
BJP legislators from Bengaluru and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (city civic body) corporators have pledged their salaries for the next two months to the Chief Ministers relief fund for the relief work.
Several good samaritans, organisations and Kodava communities from various parts of the state, especially from Bengaluru, are collecting relief materials like food, drinking water, medicines and other things to be dispatched to the flood-hit areas in the Kodagu district.
There were also reports about flooding and landslides in a few districts of coastal and Malnad region, especially in Chikkamagaluru district, affecting road connectivity. Several districts of coastal and Malnad regions like Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chikkmagaluru, Kodagu, parts of Hassan and Uttara Kannada, have been battered by incessant rains in the last few days.