1,500 stranded in flood-hit Kodagu of Karnataka; CM visits affected areas
Kodagu (Karnataka), Aug 18: Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Saturday visited the flood-hit Kodagu district in the southern state, where hundreds are marooned in villages and towns due to heavy rains.
"At least 1,500 people are stranded in various parts of the district, but the rescue officials have not been able to reach them due to bad weather and landslides. Efforts are being made to rescue them," Kumaraswamy told reporters here.
The Chief Minister earlier in the day held a meeting with district officials on the flood situation in Kodagu, and on heavy rains lashing coastal and south interior districts.
He made an aerial survey of the coffee-growing district, about 270 km from the state capital Bangalore. The district is one of the worst-hit districts in the southern state.
"The officials are trying to airlift people in the district, but the weather has not been very favourable," the Chief Minister said.
Heavy rains, flooding and landslides in the district have claimed six lives so far, a statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said.
The state has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of those who lost their lives due to the rains.
The Chief Minister earlier announced Rs 200-crore fund to take up relief measures in the rain-hit districts.
Kumaraswamy, who also visited a relief camp in Madikeri in the hilly district in Western Ghats, told people that the state is taking up rescue and relief operations on a war-footing.
The water being released from Harangi reservoir in the district across Harangi river, one of Cauvery's tributaries, has been flooding several towns and villages in the region.
Over the last 24 hours, Madikeri received a very heavy rainfall measuring up to 30 cm, while the district received an average rain upto 16 cm, according to the weather office.
About 60 Dogra Regiment soldiers and 12 expert naval divers rescued 873 marooned people in the flood-hit district till Friday, where overnight heavy rains caused landslides and inundated low-lying areas at Makkandur.
Another 525 personnel from the fire services, home guards and civil defence teams are working on the rescue operations in the district.
In all, 948 specialised rescuers from various state and central agencies are working in Kodagu district, a CMO statement said.
So far, more than 1,250 people have been rescued and shifted to about 30 relief camps set up across the district, the statement added.
Heavy rains have also been lashing coastal districts of Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Uttara Kannada over the past few weeks.
The Bengaluru division of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts heavy rains will continue over the next two days in the coastal and south interior districts of the state, including Kodagu.
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2 leopards captured in village near Bengaluru after fatal attack on woman
Bengaluru, Nov 26: A week after a 52-year-old woman was mauled to death by a leopard near Shivagange Hills in Nelamangala taluk, the Forest department has captured two leopards from Kambalu Gollarahatti village, officials said on Tuesday.
A seven-year-old male leopard was captured on Monday, followed by a nine-year-old female leopard on Tuesday from the same area, they said.
Blood and hair samples of the leopards have been collected and will be sent to the National Centre for Biological Sciences. DNA analysis will determine if either of the captured leopards was responsible for the fatal attack, a senior forest official said.
The victim, identified as Kariamma, was killed on November 17 while cutting grass in an agricultural field near her home. She was reportedly dragged into the forest by a leopard, which mauled her to death and consumed parts of her body.
In response, the Forest Department deployed large cages and installed eight pairs of camera traps around the area to track the leopards.
"Camera traps captured footprints of two male leopards and one female leopard. This enabled us to locate and capture the male and female leopards. Our teams are actively searching for the third male leopard whose footprints were recorded," the official added.
Efforts are ongoing to ensure the safety of residents and monitor wildlife in the region.
