Kodagu floods: Heavy downpour hits rescue operations

Rains are back in Kodagu after a brief lull, bringing in grim reports of more landslips and deaths.
Rescue personnel try to pull an amergency vehicle that skidded off a road in Madikeri on Sunday | rajesh shetty ballalbagh
Rescue personnel try to pull an amergency vehicle that skidded off a road in Madikeri on Sunday | rajesh shetty ballalbagh

MADIKERI: Rains are back in Kodagu after a brief lull, bringing in grim reports of more landslips and deaths. Many people are reported missing and officials cannot confirm whether they are alive. According to local sources, several deaths have gone unreported due to lack of connectivity in the district.

Mukkodlu and Kaluru areas are witnessing fresh landslides and each time there is a landslide, the flood water level increases, causing hurdle to the rescue mission. While Army had planted ropes across the flooded area in Mukkodlu, they were unable to carry the trapped villagers back to safety as the ropes went underwater, following a landslide.

Nevertheless, the NDRF, Army, Civil Defence, SDRF along with complete support from the police team have rescued over 60 villagers from Mukkodlu area. Nearly 300 acres of land has been washed off at Emmethadu village, but the villagers have been safely shifted to relief centres.

There are a few villagers still in Kaluru area as villager Chennapanda Nithin explains, “While I trekked through forests and reached Madikeri, there are nearly 20 villagers still stranded at the area, which is about 13 km from Madikeri. I managed to get in touch with one of them, who said there are fresh landslides taking place in the area.”

However, rescue operation has picked up despite the bad weather with heavy downpour. While Indian Army is striving to rescue Mukkodlu villagers, NDRF is spread across Jodupala, 2nd Monnangeri and Katakeri. Indian Navy and Civil Defence Force alongside the Mountaineering team are rescuing villagers at Kaluru and Devasthuru. A SWAT team of General Thimmaiah Adventure Academy alongside police force is rescuing stranded villagers at Thanthipala.

“Rescue teams are spread across the landlocked villages and rescue operation has picked up,” confirmed ADGP Bhaskar Rao, who has been placed at the district to head the rescue and relief operations. He spoke on how some older people refused to leave their houses but were brought to safety by force and persuasion. “Met department has predicted rains for another 36 hours, which is not allowing the helicopter rescue mission,” he added.

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