MANGALURU: A day after Mangaluru city received record rainfall of more than 300 mm, the city bounced back to normalcy on Wednesday with water receding in most parts of the city. Only a few patches of city like low-lying Jeppinamogaru and others has still remained waterlogged. The met department had predicted heavy rainfall on Wednesday too but till 3 pm there was no rains.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner Sasikanth Senthil handed over the compensation cheques of Rs 5 lakh each the kin of Mohini and Muktha Bai who died due to rains. While Mohini died after a wall collapsed behind her house at Udayanagar, Bai drowned after her house in Kodialbail got submerged in rainwater. The post-mortem of report of a woman who died due to lightening in Moodbidri is awaited to pay compensation.
Sources in the district administration said that 52 houses in Mangaluru city and 16 houses in Bantwal taluk have been damaged due to rains. The revenue department is assessing the damages in order to provide compensation to the affected people. A 38 member team of National Disaster Management Force (NDRF) is on its toes to meet any emergency.
MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLAs Vedavyas Kamath, Dr Bharath Shetty and MLC Ivan D'Souza visited several rain-affected areas to ensure that the relief measures reach the people without any delay. They requested the authorities to be liberal in disbursing the compensation to people who have lost their houses as the amount specified as per National Disaster Management Fund (NDRF) and State Disaster Management Fund (SDMF) is 'very less'. Seven gruel centres have been opened in Mangaluru and Bantwal to cater to the flood-hit people.
In view of allegations of encroachments of Raja Kaluves or stormwater drains, DC Sasikanth Senthil has formed a committee to find out the encroachments in city and submit a report within 3 days for suitable action. Various citizen for a has criticised the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) for his inability to clear the encroachments of raja kaluves which is said to be the reason for flooding in the city.
Meanwhile, the school and colleges in the district remained shut on Wednesday.