Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Oct 24: Rain god has been unleashing fury on 12 districts of Karnataka, and has claimed 12 lives in a day. A number of districts in the state, which had suffered heavily due to flood, are facing the risk of getting battered by rain again.
As per the predictions of the department of meteorology, heavy rain will continue in the state for three more days, and a few districts will be hit hard by it. Coastal districts of Karnataka, districts in north Karnataka, south Karnataka and central Karnataka have been receiving torrential rainfall since the last three days, and there is fear that the great deluge that had played spoilsport with the livelihood of farmers and others, may return to haunt these districts.
On Tuesday, 12 persons died, two from Belagavi, three from Koppal, two from Haveri, and one each from Raichur, Bagalakote, Dharwad and Mandya. 12 districts are inundated on account of flood. The department has blamed sudden decline in atmospheric pressure experienced in the Indian Ocean for the relentless rain. Bengaluru and several districts are facing the challenge of handling the rain and the situation is alarming in districts like Belagavi, Bagalakote, Yadagiri, and Dharwad. Rivers like Krishna, Ghataprabha and Malaplrabha are flowing above the danger mark. A large numbers of people have been shifted from villages covered by water to relief centres setup at safer places.
Hundreds of houses have collapsed in Haveri district while over 350 cattle were washed away in Chitradurga district. A boy was dragged way by flood in River Krishna. Huge stock of grains, standing crops and fodder have been destroyed. People have been advised to postpone their travel plans to districts facing peril by at least a week. The rain fury is expected to continue for four to five more days.
Red alert will be in force in coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada from Wednesday to Saturday. Orange alert has been issued for north Karnataka districts like Belagavi, Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Koppal, Mysuru region districts, Chamarajanagar and Mysuru, as well as Malnad districts, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga and Kodagu. The department has also issued warning in other districts. Yellow alert has been issued for Bengaluru.