From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Aug 8: As virtually the entire North Karnataka region, especially most of the districts of Belgavi, Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Raichur and Kalaburagi remained inundated in water due to heavy downpour, huge releases from reservoirs in neighbouring Maharashtra as well as the excessive releases from overflowing Almatti dam and Narayanapura reservoirs, Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa has decided to stay put in the border town of Belagavi to monitor the worsening flood situation and organize rescue and relief operations.

With the intensity of rainfall expected to be heavy for a couple of days, the chief minister has been constantly holding meetings with district officials as well as officials from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Fire and Safety officials and Army personnel deployed to rescue stranded persons and arrange for rescue arrangements.

Yediyurappa, who spoke to reporters in Belagavi and Sankeshwar after visiting some of the affected areas, said the inflows into Belagavi district border was 38,500 cusecs due to heavy releases from Maharashtra dams as of 8 am on Thursday. The forecast for the north interior Karnataka for the next five days from August 8 is scattered to moderate rains with isolated places receiving heavy rains.

The present levels in the major reservoirs was 517.10 mts against the full reservoir level of 519.60 mts in Almatti dam with Narayanapur dam touching 488.28 mts mark against the full level of 492.25 mts as of 8 am on Thursday.

The inflow into the Almatti dam is 336,917 cusecs against an outflow of 355,340 cusecs while the inflow into Narayanapur dam is 390,000 cusecs against an outflow of 409,640 cusecs.

The chief minister said the state government would monitor the situation in the entire region 24x7 basis and take immediate steps to rescue people caught in the floods, provide immediate relief, shelter, food and clothing.

The Fire and Emergency Unit of the government along with units of NDRF and SDRF were working in rescue and relief operations. The Centre had deployed 2 helicopters to airlift the stranded persons and also supply food, Yediyurappa said.

Steps were being taken to coordinate and organize the releases from the major reservoirs in the region as per prescribed procedural protocol to prevent inundation of downstream areas. The water levels in the reservoirs were being constantly watched and adjusted in order to prevent major disasters due to flooding, he explained.

Apart from measures to evacuate people to safer places, arrange supply of food, clothing and shelter to people, he said government was also doing its best to protect cattle and arrange fodder.

The chief minister also visited the extensive damage to National Highway 4 near Nippani in Belagavi district due to heavy flooding from the Vedaganga river.

Yediyurappa said he along with the chief secretary T M Vijayabhaskar and other senior officials were constantly monitoring the situation in the entire region.