BENGALURU : Even as the rains and floods have ravaged parts of the state in Kodagu and Madikeri, a team of civilians from Bengaluru and some from the Karnataka Civil Defence Quick Response Team (QRT) have been tirelessly working since August 14, when the situation became especially dire. “A quick response team of 41 members reached Kodagu the night of August 14 itself. Ten members followed on August 16. Another 41 members have replaced the initial the team that went in the beginning. It would not be wrong to say that in Kodagu, it was the Civil Defence QRT team and Fire and Emergency services that acted first,” says PRS Chetan, officer commanding, Civil Defence QRT, who was leading the rescue operations during the time.
Chetan highlighted some rescue efforts when they first went there. “On August 14, when the rains became heavy and the landslides started, we immediately rushed there. We got information that four layouts there were flooded with eight feet of water. Many were hanging on to dear life on the first floors. The response team reached within hours,” says Chetan. Full-scale evacuation operations were underway using multiple boats of various sizes and over 20 sorties made on August 15. “We celebrated Independence Day in the middle of flood waters and went on with the rescuing operations,” says Chetan.
A team of 10 members of the QRT were left in Kushalnagar, while the rest headed to Madikeri.
All the roads of state highway-27 were damaged due to landslides at multiple locations, and the rescue teams were stranded on August 15 and 16. “There were several rescue calls, but it was not possible to attend to them due to landslides at multiple locations,” says Chetan.
On August 17, the Civil Defence QRT and 15 Regiment Dogra (Army) teams, in consultation with the DC of Kodagu, jointly trekked 13 km one way from Madhapur to Hattihole, as all roads were blocked due to landslides. “People were rescued from various estates in and around Adageri village. Around 83 people were rescued including one 92-year-old woman who was carried on a stretcher, and three children. The entire operation lasted for 10 hours, and both the teams walked 26 km both ways, carrying rescue equipment and facing tough terrain,” says Chetan.
On August 18, one company of Civil Defence QRT started operations at three different locations near Madikeri. As many as 180 people were evacuated. “We planned joint rescue operations involving a 20-member Civil Defence QRT, eight Navy divers, four mountaineers and two constables. We started the day with a mission to rescue stranded people from Kallur, Devasuru, Bari Belachu and Mandalapati villages, after braving seven kilometres of tough terrain and heavy rains,” says Chetan.
Around 128 people, who were stranded since the last three days, were rescued and brought to safer areas. Among those rescued were three senior citizens of over 85 years, who were carried on improvised stretchers through the tough, uphill terrain. “We also rescued a pregnant woman (8.5 months). The entire operation lasted nine hours,” he says.