Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday conducted aerial inspection of flood-hit districts of North Karnataka, where several villages were inundated following increased outflow from reservoirs across the Krishna and its tributaries in Maharashtra.

He flew by a special plane from the HAL airport here to Toranagal airstrip in Ballari, from where proceeded to Bagalkote, Raichur, Vijayapura and Yadgiri to get a first-hand assessment of the situation, official sources told PTI.

The Krishna, Malaprabha, Markandeya rivers and a few other rivulets are in spate submerging thousands of hectares of land in Belagavi, Bagalkote, Raichur, Vijayapura and Yadgir.

Huge amount of water had been released from the Koyna and four other dams in Maharashra which were reportedly full to the brim.

As a result, the Almatti dam on Krishna river in Karnataka and three to four barrages on its upper regions were completely filled and excess water was released, the director of the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre G S Srinivasa Reddy said.

The increased water outflow caused flooding in the lower regions leading to thousands of hectares of land being submerged and the standing crops in parts of the region completely destroyed, sources said.

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More than 200 Indian nationals have joined the Russian armed forces since 2022, with 26 are confirmed dead, MEA—The Ministry of External Affairs have informed the Upper house of the Parliament: Rajya Sabha.

In a written response, the Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, has stated that at least 202 Indians are reported to have joined the Russian army. Among these recruited personnels, 26 have lost their lives; while, seven individuals have been reported missing by Russian authorities. He added that the remains of two deceased Indian nationals were cremated in Russia.

Singh noted that the sustained diplomatic efforts by the Indian government have led to the early discharge of 119 individuals. He further added that the discussions are going smoothly with the Russians to secure the release of the remaining personnel, with efforts underway to facilitate the early discharge of 50 more Indian nationals.

According to the minister, the Union government is in contact with Russian authorities to ensure the safety, welfare, and prompt return of Indian citizens serving in the Russian army. The issue, he said, is being addressed at multiple levels, including interactions between senior leaders, ministers, and officials of both countries.

The said disclosure was made in response to queries raised by Saket Gokhale, the MP of Trinamool Congress, and Randeep Singh Surjewala, the MP of INC, regarding the number of Indians allegedly recruited into the military service in Russia; Along with the details of deaths and missing persons reported since 2022.