Karnataka CM Yediyurappa directs in-charge Ministers to stay put in rain-hit districts
Bengaluru: With torrential rains battering several parts of coastal, malnad and north-interior Karnataka, causing flood like situation and landslides, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Saturday directed district in- charge Ministers to stay put in their respective districts and monitor the relief and rescue operations there.
The Chief Minister will himself be travelling to rain and flood affected border district of Belagavi in north Karnataka on Sunday, to assess the situation there.
"The Chief Minister this morning spoke to district in- charge Ministers and Deputy Commissioners of various districts and gathered information about the rain and flood situation there.
He has directed the in-charge Ministers to stay put in their respective districts," the CMO said in a statement, which also informed about Yediyurappa's travel to Belagavi on Sunday.
According to the information from the State Disaster Management Authority, till last evening, 131 villages in 18 taluks of the state have been affected by rains and floods, and 16,213 people have been affected and three people have died, while two were missing.
Hundreds of houses have been damaged and 8,733 people were evacuated.
As many as 4,964 people were taking shelter in 80 relief camps till last evening.
The Chief Minister had held a virtual meeting with the district officials of Belagavi, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Haveri, Chikkamagaluru and Dharwad, on Friday evening and had directed them to relocate the residents of low-lying villages along the river banks.
With several dams in the state and neighbouring Maharashtra reaching brim, water is being released into the rivers, inundating lowliying and river banks areas.
Rescue and relief teams like NDRF, SDRF, fire department personnels have been pressed into service in affected regions, officials said.
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EAM Jaishankar meets Jamaican PM, gifts over 10 BHISHM Cubes
Kingston (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and discussed ways to further deepen "political, economic and people-to-people cooperation."
Jaishankar also conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Holness.
"Pleased to call on Prime Minister @AndrewHolnessJM in Kingston. Conveyed the greetings of PM @narendramodi," Jaishankar posted on X.
"Discussed deepening our political, economic and people-to-people cooperation. Value his commitment towards further strengthening India-Jamaica relations," the post further read.
Also, the external affairs minister handed over 10 BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) Cubes as a gift to Jamaica.
"Formally handed over 10 BHISHM Cubes as a gift from India to Jamaica, in the presence of PM @AndrewHolnessJM, Health Minister @christufton and FM @kaminajsmith," Jaishankar posted on X.
"The BHISHM Cube mobile hospital system, designed for rapid deployment, will help Jamaica during disasters and emergencies. The gift of these cubes is a statement of friendship, a commitment to disaster preparedness, and an outcome of innovation," the post said.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday evening, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
Earlier in the day, he interacted with the Indian diaspora and discussed India's ongoing transformation in infrastructure, human development and technology-driven governance and entrepreneurship with them.
He also highlighted the cricket bond between both countries as India gifted a scoreboard to Jamaica.
A scoreboard was dedicated at Sabina Park in Kingston. It is the home of the Jamaica cricket team and is the only Test cricket ground in the Caribbean island nation.
The minister expressed hope that the new scoreboard would witness many memorable innings, including those symbolising the enduring friendship between the two countries.
Cricket has long been a strong cultural bridge between India and Jamaica, which is part of the West Indies cricket team.
Jamaican players, including Chris Gayle, Courtney Walsh and Michael Holding, have played a major role in shaping the legacy of West Indies cricket in the international arena, contributing to its dominance in earlier decades and its continued global appeal.
