Heavy rain floods Karnataka; red alert in 7 districts, ICG swings into action

Karnataka has witnessed heavy rainfall over the past 24 hours, resulting in floods in multiple regions. As many as three lives were reported to have been lost so far, while the downpour triggered landslides in at least eight places in the state. More than 9,000 people have already been evacuated from the flood-hit parts of Karnataka, news agency PTI reported on Friday night, and a red alert has been sounded in seven districts.

Karnataka sounded a red alert on Friday night in the districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, and Kodagu, in view of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in these parts over the next 24 hours. An orange alert was also raised in the Belagavi and Dharwad districts, the agency cited an official of the state disaster management authority as saying.

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Three confirmed casualties in rain-related incidents have been confirmed so far, the official said, adding that two people were logged missing.

Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa said that he reviewed the rain-related situation in the state with the district commissioners. "The state government will extend all necessary support to the relief and rescue efforts and assist farmers who suffered losses due to the untimely rain and hailstorms," the chief minister said in a tweet.

Yediyurappa also said that all the district in-charge ministers and MLAs have been asked to be present in their respective districts and constituencies to oversee rescue and relief efforts being carried out by the district administrations.

While the complete extent of damages from the floods in Karnataka is yet to be ascertained, government figures on Friday night indicated that as many as 21 houses in the deluge-hit districts have been destroyed completely, while at least 804 more residences took a partial hit due to the heavy rain. Landslides were reported in eight places, including Virajpet in the Kodagu district and Arabail Ghat in the Uttara Kannada district.

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Sixty-five bridges, 10 schools, and a primary health centre were damaged, while 291.03km of roads were washed away. The state has opened 80 relief camps where 4,964 people are staying, the official said.

Meanwhile, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said in a statement that its Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and rescue operations were pressed into service at short notice to carry out rescue operations. Three disaster relief teams (DRTs) deployed in coastal districts of Karnataka have rescued and relocated 161 distressed people to safe locations, an official statement, issued late on Friday night, noted.

The ICG added that the armed forces are in constant touch with the civil administration of Karnataka to help out with rescue and disaster relief operations.