Kodagu frightened for gusty wind, hundreds of trees uprooted
Electric poles and houses damaged
Madikeri: The Kodagu district is literally frightened because of the gusty wind for the last three days. Before coming back to normal situation due to heavy rainfall for the last two weeks, the people are worried about the wind.
In rural areas, hundreds of trees were uprooted. As the trees fell on electric lines, several electric poles, transformers and even some houses were damaged. The normal life has affected due to power disruption. Major rivers and streams in the district are in spate due to rains with gusty wind. People have been suffering due to cold wave.
Loss incurred
As heavy downpour coupled with gusty wind lashed Suntikoppa and surrounding areas on Saturday night and Sunday, trees were uprooted and electric poles were damaged. Several houses were also damaged. Vehicular movement was hampered in several villages as the trees fell on the roads. Many villages do not have power supply for the last fifteen days. Because of the fear of falling trees, labourers keep themselves inside the houses.
When a tree fell on the house of retired teacher MG Ganapathi at Mallur village in Nakur Shirangala gram panchayat limits, the house roof was damaged and his wife Rukmini sustained head injury in the incident. She was admitted to a private hospital in Mysuru. A Maruti Omni and a bike were also damaged as a shed was damaged due to tree falling in the same village and loss was estimated at Rs 2 lakh.
Wall and the roof of the houses belonging to Ramesh Poojary and Shivaram of Schoolbane in Kodagarahalli gram panchayat limits were damaged when a huge tree fell on them. But no casualty was reported. The roof of another house belonging to waterman Manju was also damaged due to tree falling and the loss was estimated at Rs 50,000. Another house belonging to Muttappa on Madapura road was also damaged when a rosewood tree fell on it. Though the family members were inside the house, no casualty was happened. Trees were also fallen at Kambibane and the officials visited the spots and verified it.
Electric poles and electric wires were damaged at Suntikoppa town, Madapura road, Chettalli road, Nakuru, Kodagarahalli, Kambibane, Kallur, Herur, Horur, Haleri and Kandanakolli roads as huge trees fell on them, incurring loss worth lakhs. Traffic movement on these roads was also affected. Trees were uprooted at Chettalli, Siddapura and Kadagadalu.
As a huge tree was uprooted near MLA Appachchu Ranjan’s house near Madapura, a Madikeri-Somawarpete KSRTC bus escaped in a whisker and a possible tragedy was averted. There were more than 30 passengers in the bus which rammed into a roadside bridge and stopped when the tree fell on the road.
One Omni car was damaged and three passengers inside the car also sustained minor injuries when the branches of a tree fell on it near Kajur on Madapura road. A transformer was damaged when a tree fell on it near Madapura. Now, the tree is being lifted and power line is also being repaired. But the heavy rain is obstructing the relief work.
MLAs visit affected areas
Madikeri MLA MP Appachchu Ranjan visited the rain-affected areas in Somawarpete taluk on Sunday and inspected the damage. He also directed the officials to repair the damaged transformers and electric poles to resume power supply as early as possible.
Meanwhile, Virajapete MLA KG Bopaiah also visited the rain-affected place on Mangaluru road and inspected.
Loss worth crores
The district has incurred loss of private and public properties worth crores in the rains that lashed the district for the last two weeks. Majorly, the MESCOM and PWD have incurred heavy loss. Paddy fields were marooned in the rainwater. With the fear of fungal disease, coffee plantations were also damaged due to tree falling. Tourism and business have affected considerably due to heavy rains. The people and organizations urged the central and state governments to provide more compensation to the district.
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Illegally stored gas cylinders seized
Thane (PTI): Authorities have seized illegally stored 1,839 gas cylinders and seven vehicles worth over Rs 67 lakh in the Dombivli MIDC area of Thane district, officials said on Saturday.
A special vigilance team of the Mumbai Rationing Department detected an illegal storage of domestic and commercial LPG cylinders in Phase-2 of Dombivli (East).
Cylinders belonging to multiple gas agencies were found stockpiled in closed vehicles, unauthorised warehouses, and open sheds without mandatory permissions from the Explosives Department, Fire Department, or oil companies, according to an official release.
