Bangalore, Oct 26 (IANS): Over 3,000 turkeys died due to bird flu at the state-run central poultry development organisation in Hessarghatta on the city's outskirts, forcing the authorities to sound red alert, Karnataka Animal Husbandry Minister Ravi Naik Belamagi said Friday.

"The high security animal disease lab at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh confirmed the death of 3,400 turkeys at the poultry research centre due to bird flu 10 days ago," Belamagi told reporters here.

Following detection of H5N1 influenza in the birds, the authorities have quarantined the research centre and declared the area within one-kilemetre radius around the centre as an infected zone.

H5N1 is a pathogenic avian (bird) flu virus that has caused serious outbreaks in domestic poultry in parts of Asia.

"We have deployed 25 teams of rapid response teams in 10km radius to check traces of the deadly virus in other birds and alerted the state forest department to observe any change in the migratory birds and crows," Belamagi said.

The animal husbandry department has also culled the remaining stock of turkeys to prevent the bird flu from spreading and the 150 acres of area around the research centre was disinfected.

"We have set up checkposts to track the movement of poultry birds from the infected zone to other places, banned their sale and consumption of their meat," said Animal Husbandry Secretary Arvind Jannu.

The department has also alerted the public to report any incident of dead birds located in their areas for taking preventive steps.