The heavy rain that battered Malnad and coastal regions of Karnataka over the last week receded on Tuesday. The improved weather situation in Kodagu district helped NDRF team retrieve the body of Talacauvery temple priest Narayanacharya, whose house had been flattened in a landslip last Thursday.
Over the last week, Bhagamandala and surrounding regions have borne the brunt of heavy rain, with the Cauvery in spate inundating many areas. Bhagamandala received rainfall in excess of 400 mm for two consecutive days, which had hampered rescue and search operations. Rains have receded since Monday.
Consequent to the landslip and flooding of Talacauvery, the temple remained closed and daily puja and rituals had been suspended in the absence of the priest. But, the Kodagu district in-charge Minister V. Somanna said it has been decided to resume rituals from Friday.
Meanwhile, Kodagu received 22.17 mm of rainfall for the 24 hour period ending 8.30 a.m. of Tuesday.
The district administration has conducted a preliminary assessment of the loss due to the natural calamity as per which horticultural crops on 32500 hectares of land and standing paddy crop on 3200 hectares has been damaged. In all 304 houses have been damaged across the district, apart from 74 school buildings, 13 anganwadi kendra buildings, 1 community hall besides 18 retention walls among others.
The recent rain affected 22 villages in Madikeri taluk, 14 in Virajpet, 10 in Somwarpet, and 14 in Kushalnagar, while there were 12 major incidents of landslips. In all, 585 people have been rescued by NDRF, SDRF and others. 207 families have been accommodated in 9 relief centres established in different parts of the district.
Charmadi ghat
Chikkamagaluru DC Bagadi Gautam has issued an order allowing light motor vehicles on Charmadi Ghat stretch of NH 73 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. from Wednesday. There will be no traffic movement in the night.
Following heavy rains last week, the DC had prohibited vehicles on the stretch from August 7 to Tuesday midnight. Landslips on the stretch had forced the district administration to take the decision.