Pics: Justin D'Silva/Ivan Mascarenhas/Inchara Udupi
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (MS)
Updated
31 relief camps set up, 1,201 people to be accommodated in shelters
Udupi, Sep 20: With torrential rains washing away houses, roads in Udupi district relief team has sprung into action and are ferrying people to safety.
In order to provide shelter to the people in distress, over 31 relief camps have been opened all over the district. As per reports, over 1,201 people have shifted to these camps. Meanwhile, the district authorities have alerted the schools to be prepared to open a 'Ganji Kendra'.
According, to the details by the authorities, 469 families in Udupi, 23 in Karkala, 42 in Brahmavar and over 293 families in Kaup have been rescued. The total number of people rescued from all these places are around 2,874. Meanwhile, to accommodate rescued families, around 14 relief camps have been opened in Udupi, two in Karkala, three in Brahmavar and 12 in Kaup.
On the other hand, 518 houses have been washed away due to floods in Udupi, 68 were affected in Karkala, 145 in Brahmavar and 376 houses have been lost due to the rains in Kaup. A total of 1,107 houses have been affected by the floods across the district.
Earlier in the day, chief minister of Karnataka B S Yediyurappa had also reached out to the district deputy commissioner G Jagadeesha directing him to take the necessary steps to ferry people to safety.
700 families, 2,500 people rescued
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team that arrived in the city from Mangaluru has held rescue operations at Udupi, Kaup, Brahmavar and Karkala taluks, informed Udupi deputy commissioner Jagadeesha.
"In the last 24 hours, the district has received more than 46 cm of rainfall. Many places across the district are flooding. Nearly 700 families and 2,500 people have been rescued. NDRF, Naval force, Coast Guard and local people have taken part in the rescue operations. In the next two days also the district will be under red alert. I request the people living along riversides and island areas to move to safer places. The tahsildar has marked safe zones and food will be supplied to the people who are being shifted to food distribution centers have been set up. If it rains heavily at night, it will be troublesome even for the rescue operations," he said.
Ten fishermen who had gone for fishing got stuck in St Mary's Island as their boat had some technical problem. They were rescued by the coast guard personnel, he said.
The district administration is trying to rescue large boats and fishermen on then. For the time being all those who were affected by floods are rescued as per the information shared by DC Jagadeesha.
Swarna river swells
Swarna river has flooded near Herga. The river, which supplies water to the city is flowing to the brim at the Baje dam area. Pumping is stopped as water gushed inside the pump house at around 4.30 am.
The capacity of Baje dam is 4.9 metres. However, for the first time in history, the level of water has gone up to 10.5 metres. Pumphouse near the dam is at a height of 9.5 metres. That is why the water gushed into the pump house also.
Water supply is stopped to the city and villages around the pump house due to waterlogging inside the pump house.
"As soon as the water level recedes to nine meters pumping work will start after inspection by the Mescom personnel. Otherwise, there is a chance that the equipment will get burnt due to technical faults," said the executive engineer of city municipality Mohan Raj.
Rescue efforts
Rescue operations are on to evacuate families affected by floods caused by heavy rains across Udupi district.
At Paskudru, 30 houses have been submerged affecting at least 20 families. NDRF teams have been pressed into action to evacuate families.
At Uppoor, however, people are still awaiting rescue operations. People gathered to demand tahsildar to take action immediately. Sources said that additional boats and other necessary items for rescue will arrive from Karwar soon. Brahmavar tahsildar and assistant commissioner arrived at the spot. Two boats of an NDRF team from Mangaluru has also arrived.
The first batch of rescue operations was conducted at Perampalli. Udupi MLA Raghupati Bhat himself joined the rescue operations. Two NDRF boats were used to bring families to safety. Another NDRF team is expected to reach from Mysuru shortly. BJP district vice-president Yashpal Suvarna and team rescued a few animals. Members of the local unit of Popular Front of India (PFI) also joined in the rescue operations.
Home minister and district in-charge Basavaraj Bommai responding to the situation said, "As soon as I received the news from the district administration about the rains, nearly 250-member SDRF team was sent late last night from the state. Already 200 people have been rescued. The NDRF team will also join the rescue work. We have requested a helicopter for rescue operations and discussions have been held with revenue minister on this."
People in need of help have been requested to call the emergency helpline number 1077.
For the first time in the last four decades, Alevoor river is flowing at a danger level. Residents of houses that were submerged in water overnight have been shifted to safer places.
Many acres of cultivated paddy have been destroyed due to rains. The connection between Manipal-Alevoor-Kuntalnagar is broken.
More than 30 houses at Moodukalmanje are engulfed by water. Houses along Manipur river are also flooded.
Many houses and land areas are submerged in the district due to the incessant rains that are lashing the district since the evening of September 19. MP Shobha Karandlaje discuss the matter with DC Jagadeesha and asked him to take necessary relief measures immediately.
Shobha has also requested T M Vijayabhaskar, chief sercretary of state to send more NDRF force to the district to deal with the flood situation. One team has already arrived in Udupi from Mangaluru and is already rescuing people who are stuck in low lying areas.
One more team of NDRF of 20 members has already left Mysuru and will be reaching Udupi soon. Helicopters will be sent in few hours as per the request placed by MP Shobha Karandlaje.
Shobha informed that Helicopters will be sent from Bengaluru and Karwar centers to speed up the rescue operation as per the information provided by chief secretary of state T M Vijayabhaskar. She also informed that the helicopters will be into rescue operations within few hours.
Heavy rains with strong winds lashed the district on the night of Saturday, September 19 and the morning of Sunday September 20.
Several areas of Udupi city and Manipal are inundated. Families near Alevoor Perupade, whose houses are completely submerged in water have pleaded the district administration for help.
Main roads of the city are submerged in water and it is said that the city has not seen such rain in the history of the district. Traffic on the main streets of the city is thrown out of gear due to water logging.
Puttige Math, Gundibail-Kalsanka road, Bailkere Matadabettu, Udupi-Manipal main road are inundated.
Water has entered many shops and houses of Badagupete. Bailakere, Kunjibettu and Adiudupi area are also inundated. The visitors parking area of Udupi Sri Krishna Math is submerged in water. Areas on the banks of river Indrani near Kalsanka are flooded.
The water level in Bailakere area has risen considerably and has entered many houses. Vehicles parked in the compound of many houses are submerged in water.
Three boats sank in the sea off Malpe coast. The loss is estimated to be running into lacs of rupees. Fishermen of these boats found shelter on some boulders for quite some time and managed to reach the shore later.
Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary has instructed to send NDRF force from Mangaluru to Udupi to deal with the situation. The NDRF team with special equipment has reached flooded areas of Kukkehalli and other places.
In Karkala several houses at Ennehole and Hermunde area are completely submerged in water. Karkala-Ajekaru road connectivity is lost on state highway one. Vehicles are stopped from plying on this route.
Road connectivity between Kuradi and Nadoor is broken due to the collapse of a minor bridge. The small bridge which was constructed across the rivulet at Kuradi-Nadoor road was washed away for the heavy rains on the night of Saturday. Connectivity of the area is lost completely.
Former minister Vinay Kumar Sorake visited flood-affected areas including Ankudur, Bolme Kedar of Udyavar.
Activists, under the leadership of Girish Kumar, president rural Congress and immediate past gram panchayat members Laxman Poojary, Mithesh Kumar and Diwakar Bolme are helping to rescue flood-affected victims to safer areas.
Two personnel who were doing night duty have stuck due to waterlogging. Kota Srinivas Poojary has instructed DC of Dakshina Kannada district to send NDRF team from Dakshina Kannada district to Udupi.
NDRF team starts rescue operations in Udupi district. NDRF is rescuing people in Doddanagudde and Perampalli areas of the district using motorboats.
Sri Krishna Math in a media release stated that due to the heavy rains, the temple parking area was completely inundated. On Sunday at 3.00 am following a request, a dinghy which was donated by the Yashpal Suvarna was provided to Ramesh Kanchan CMC member and Harish Bailakere. With the help of which over 200 people in the Bailakere area were rescued. Meanwhile, Paryaya Swamiji also made special arrangements where food will be provided to people in the morning and afternoon. Further, he announced that in the event if there are people who need shelter, necessary arrangements will be made by Sri Krishna Math.