MANGALURU, MADIKERI: Unrelenting rains in parts of Karnataka continue to wreak havoc with incidents of landslides, flooding of several villages and stranded people being reported from across the state. Three people were killed after a tanker fell into a 30-foot ditch in Shiradi Ghat on Tuesday. Officials pointed to a landslide caused by continuous rains as the cause of the accident.
Owing to multiple landslides at Shiradi Ghat, all luxury buses between Bengaluru and Mangaluru have been cancelled. Hassan district administration has decided to restrict the movement of heavy vehicles on the ghat section up to August 25. All vehicles were advised to avoid Shiradi and instead take the Charmadi Ghat route.
Numerous landslides were witnessed across Kodagu district too, blocking all roads to Madikeri. As a result, many locals and tourists were stranded near Kushalnagar and on Mangaluru-Madikeri highway.
At least seven families lost their houses to massive landslides at Kaluru village. National Disaster Response Force was pressed into action for relief work at Kushalnagar.
Flash floods were witnessed in several villages of Davangere, Honnali and Harihar after water was released from Tunga and Bhadra dams. Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister U T Khader on Wednesday said that a Rs 100 crore package will be sought from the Chief Minister to carry out rehabilitation works. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, meanwhile, has directed all DCs to be in high alert and take preventive measures to avoid mishaps in rain-hit districts of Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, DK and Hassan.
Water, water everywhere
Rain fury: CM directs officers to be on high alert
Bengaluru: As heavy rain continues to disrupt normal life in many parts of the state, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has directed the Deputy Commissioners in rain-hit districts to be on high alert. While connectivity from Mangaluru to Bengaluru and Madikeri has been hit due to landslides in Shiradi and Sampaje ghats, three persons, including the driver and cleaner of a gas tanker, died after the vehicle fell into a 30-foot-deep gorge, near Doddatappalu on Bengaluru-Mangaluru NH 75. "After taking stock of the situation, Chief Minister directed the DCs to take preventive measures to avoid major mishaps due to flood and landslide. He also told them to be prepared to take up relief works on time," said an official in the Chief Minister office (CMO). Directions have been issued to DCs of Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga districts, where it is raining heavily for the last few days.
The government gets ready for emergencies
Bengaluru: The state government has initiated steps to tackle emergencies rising from flood like situations across the state, Minister for Revenue, Skill development and Livelihood R V Deshpande, informed on Wednesday. Deshpande, in a press release, stated that he had directed officials to release compensation to those who had lost livestock, lives and houses. "A total amount of Rs 200 crore has been deposited in PD accounts of deputy commissioners,'' he stated and urged people residing on banks of rivers, to be cautious.
Timely plan of dam authorities prevents floods in Honnavar
Karwar: In Uttara Kannada district, whenever the water from Linganamakki dam in Shivamogga is released, many villages on the bank of Sharavathi river in Honnavar taluk are flooded. The rise in river water affect normal life along the bank. But this time, the advance planning from the dam authorities of Gerusoppa, a possible flood was successfully prevented. The dam authorities prevented flood like situation on the downstream of Sharavathi river in Honnavar taluk by maintaining low water level at the dam few days before the Linganamakki dam started filling. The dam water was released in advance so that there is ample space for the access water that was released from Linganamakki dam on Tuesday.
Good Samaritans rescue KSRTC bus passengers after landslide
Hassan: Good Samaritans rescued the passengers who spent whole night in a KSRTC bus which got stuck near Bisle Ghat on Bisle-Subramanya road due to landslide on Wednesday. The locals rushed to the spot and helped the commuters reach their destinations on Wednesday. The KSRTC bus heading to Bengaluru from Subramanya was stuck following landslide near Bisle on Tuesday night. Several trees were uprooted and fell across the same stretch. Prasanna Bakalli, Pradeep, Chandru, Gagan and Rohith of Palahalli visited the spot on Wednesday morning and helped the passengers reach their destinations taking the help of Madikeri Bus depot officials who sent spare bus to nearby village. The youths carried the elders to safer place on their shoulders. Sources said one of the miscreants allegedly collected D2,000 from the passengers citing tree cutting charges and escaped on Tuesday. Taking the advantage of the situation some people allegedly sold the eatables and water for higher prices to the passengers.
Madikeri blocked following several dangerous landslides
Madikeri: Numerous landslides were witnessed across Kodagu district, blocking all roads to Madikeri. Many were stranded near Kushalnagar as heavy rains lashed the region. The situation on Mangaluru-Madikeri highway worsened with more landslides on the stretch. A tourist vehicle was hit by a landslide on Mangaluru-Madikeri highway, 11 km from Madikeri. However, the passengers and driver escaped unhurt. The relief work at the massive landslide near Madenadu on the highway continued despite heavy rains. “JCBs are constantly at work on Mangaluru-Madikeri highway. It might take a few more days to restore traffic on this stretch,” confirmed Kodagu DC Sreevidya P I.
Shiradi Ghat may take five days to be declared safe: DC
Mangaluru: Heavy rains continued to lash the district on Wednesday, causing floods and landslides. Following repeated landslides at Shiradi Ghat and a fuel tanker overturning on Tuesday night leading to massive traffic jam, Hassan district administration decided to restrict the movement of heavy vehicles on the ghat section up to August 25. All vehicles were advised to avoid Shirady and instead take the Charmadi Ghat route. Deputy Commissioner S Sasikanth Senthil issued a notice that Shiradi Ghats will be closed for some more time until safety is ascertained. He told Express that it might take anywhere between five and 10 days to declare the stretch safe for any vehicular movement.