Karnataka rain toll rises to 3

PTI, Aug 7, 2019, 3:30 PM IST

Bengaluru: Rain-related toll in Karnataka has gone up to three, even as parts of north and coastal areas along with the Malnada region continued to reel under heavy downpour.

A woman was killed in a house collapse in Belagavi on Wednesday while a man was swept away in Dharwad district, police sources said Wednesday.

Situation continued to remain grim as the floodgates were opened in the dams in neighbouring Maharashtra and barrages and dams in Karnataka, where road and rail links remain affected.

While Belagavi, Bagalkote, Vijayapura, Raichur and Yadgir had been battered by the floods, torrential rains threw life out of gear in Udupi, Chikkamagaluru, Mangaluru, Kodagu, Hubballi-Dharwad, Karwar, Hassan and Shivamogga.

Belagavi, Bagalkote and Yadgir bore the brunt of the heavy downpour and water released from dams on Krishna river and its tributories.

Government schools in Belagavi turned into rehabilitation centres where the flood-hit people shared their rooms with the livestock. Chikkamagaluru district too was badly hit by the torrential rain.

The swollen Bhadra river completely submerged the Hebbale bridge that connects Horanadu. The opposition Congress and JDS have accused the government of “inaction” in dealing with the flood situation.

“Terrible floods in many parts of Karnataka. And CM is away politicking in Delhi”, former Minister and Congress MLA, Krishna Byre Gowda said. “No minister even to attend to flood problems,” he said.

“12 days since new Govt, BJP still hasn’t given Karnataka a Cabinet”. “Government is missing”, tweeted JDS, headed by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa is the only Minister in his Council of Ministers. He is currently in Delhi to finalise the Cabinet formation with BJP central leadership.

Government sources rejected the charge of Congress and JDS. They noted that Yediyurappa had earlier this week conducted an aerial survey of the affected regions in North Karnataka.

The Chief Minister has already instructed officials to take up relief and rescue measures on a war-footing, official sources said.