NDRF, SDRF, Army personnel deployed for rescue operations in Belagavi

Hubballi/Belagavi: District administrations of Belagavi, Bagalkot, Yadagir and Raichur have taken suitable measures to deal with possible flood-like situation in their respective districts in North Karnataka.
Heavy rain in Maharashtra and certain parts of North Karntaka led to rise in the water level in Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers, resulting in flood-like situation in some villages of Belagavi, Bagalkot, Yadgir and Raichur districts.
In order to rescue people trapped in flood water, Belagavi district administration has deployed the Army, five teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) along with police and locally available skilled people in conducting rescue operations in Belagavi district on Sunday.
S B Bommanahalli, deputy commissioner, Belagavi, said that about 350 families stuck in flood were rescued and shifted by the Army and SDRF teams on Sunday.
Five teams of NDRF comprising 10 members each reached the district from Guntur in Andhra Pradesh by flight on Sunday noon. They have been deployed at flood-prone villages in Chikkodi, Athani and Raibag taluks. Similarly, 90 Army personnel and 75 personnel from the fire department trained in disaster management have been deployed at critical places. As many as 45 members of SDRF have been deployed at four locations — Ingali, Manjari, Yadur and Athani.
Eight gruel centres in Belagavi district, two each in Chikkodi, Kagwad, Athanid and Nippanni have been opened. The administration has identified 21 points which are being monitored by rescue teams.
SP Laxman Nimbaragi said that about 350 cattle were rescued from 19 flood-affected villages in Chikkodi, Athani and Raibag taluks. People have been shifted to gruel centres. As of now, 30 motorboats are working at critical places. According to Nimbaragi, the administration is ready to face any emergency situation. Though situation is not an alarming, elaborate arrangements have been made to rescue people in the event of floods. More quantity of water is expected to be released from Koyna dam to Krishan river, said sources.
Kalaburagi deputy commissioner Venkatesh Kumar has warned villagers on the bank of Bheema river in Chittapur taluk to move to safer places following release of water to Bhima river from Neera river in Purandar taluk in Pune district.
In Vijayapura/Bagalkot, 35 families have been shifted to safer places. Muttur village in Jamakhandi taluk has turned into an island. A control room has been set up in Jamakhandi taluk. All school and colleges in Muttur, Tubachi, and Nandagav in Mudhol taluk will be closed from August 5 to 7 following threat of floods, said Bagalkot deputy commissioner R Ramachandran.
Water gushes into mutt
Due to non-stop rain, water of Markandeya river entered in to Adavisiddheshwara mutt in Kundaragi of Gokak taluk. Local taluk administration rescued 15 people stranded in the mutt by boats.