Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday assured Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy of help in the rescue and relief operations in the flood-hit Kodagu district, an official statement said.
“Modi called up Kumaraswamy and assured him of all help in rescue and relief operations in flood-hit Kodagu district,” said the statement from the Chief Minister’s camp office at Madikeri, about 270km from Bengaluru.
Kumaraswamy, who has been camping in the district since Saturday to supervise the operations, briefed Modi on the flood situation in the rain-hit district and how the army, navy and National Disaster Response Force were co-ordinating the efforts.
Modi earlier tweeted that he spoke to Kumaraswamy from New Delhi on the flood situation in the affected district.
“Extended all possible support in the rescue and relief operations. I pray for the safety and well-being of those in the flood affected areas,” the prime minister said in a tweet.
Kumaraswamy also briefed President Ram Nath Kovind on the rescue work in the district when he called on him from New Delhi earlier in the day.
“The chief minister informed the president that the Indian army, navy and other state and central agencies have rescued over 3,500 people so far,” the statement noted.
Around 4,225 marooned people were rescued till yesterday evening from towns and villages across the district despite incessant rains hampering the operation.
Of the rescued, 3,601 are staying in 36 relief shelters in the district and efforts were on to reach others stranded on hilltops.
Located in the southern Western Ghats mountain range, the coffee-growing district is the worst-hit by the monsoon rains since the first week of June.
The incessant rains have caused flooding and landslips across the region, damaging the arterial roads.
About 300 people were rescued on Saturday, including more than 30 senior citizens and 50 children. About 60 Dogra Regiment soldiers, 12 naval divers, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) officials, 525 fire service personnel and Home Guards are among those working on rescue operations.
In total, over 1,000 rescuers from the state and central agencies have been engaged in the rescue operations.
Hundreds of volunteers from state capital Bengaluru and across the state have been gathering relief material, including dry food, water, milk, clothing and medicines, and distributing them to those in the temporary shelters in the district.
The water being released from Harangi reservoir in the district across Harangi river, one of Cauvery’s tributaries, has been adding to the flooding of towns and villages in the region. Over the last 24 hours, the district received an average rainfall of 5.4cm, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). Some parts of the district received rain up to 11.5cm.
Revenue Minister R V Deshpande has been overseeing the rescue and relief operations.
The state-run Karnataka State Road Transport Corp (KSRTC) yesterday resumed all its intra-state bus services towards Kodagu and Mangaluru and inter-state services towards Kerala.
The bus services were suspended over the past few days towards Kodagu, Mangaluru and flood-hit Kerala due to the landslips and damaged roads caused by the rains.
Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy hands over a cheque to a woman from the flood-hit Kodagu district yesterday.
