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Death toll from rain-related incidents in Karnataka rises to 33, says CMO
According to the statement, the 15-year-old boy from Chunchawad village in Khanapur taluk died after a clay wall of his house crashed on him on Thursday night. Due to the heavy downpour, the district authorities have announced two days of holiday for schools and colleges on Friday and Saturday in Belagavi city, Belagavi taluk and Khanapur taluk.
The death toll from rain-related incidents in Karnataka rose to 33 with one more death in Khanapur town in Belagavi on Friday, a statement from the chief minister’s office (CMO) said.
According to the statement, the 15-year-old boy from Chunchawad village in Khanapur taluk died after a clay wall of his house crashed on him on Thursday night. Due to the heavy downpour, the district authorities have announced two days of holiday for schools and colleges on Friday and Saturday in Belagavi city, Belagavi taluk and Khanapur taluk.
On Friday, Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai held a meeting with deputy commissioners of districts affected by the floods, and other government officials.
During the meeting, the chief minister told the state finance department and additional chief secretary, ISN Prasad, to release ₹500 crore for undertaking relief and rehabilitation measures in all the affected districts. The video conferencing was held from a private hotel in Devanahalli, the CMO statement said.
In his official note, Bommai pointed out that basic infrastructure facilities like roads, bridges, schools, Anganwadi centres, snapping of power supply lines and uprooting of electricity poles besides damages to primary health centres and other buildings and has directed urgent steps must be taken for repairs.
As rains continued to lash coastal Malnad and parts of North Karnataka, flood alerts were issued in several places and people shifted from low-lying areas.
In Kodagu, the local administration relocated over two dozen families in Tora in Virajpet taluk, which faced a landslip in 2019 that claimed 10 lives. This was after the Karnataka government had asked the district administrations to identify vulnerable locations and relocate residents. Meanwhile, heavy rain has been forecast in Kodagu on Saturday, with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) declaring an orange alert till 8.30 a.m.
Following landslips on Shiradi Ghat, the Hassan district administration ordered restricting the movement of vehicles between Donigal and Heggade.
“There will be movement of all vehicles between 6 am and 6 pm in a single lane. From 6 pm. to 6 am, only government and private buses, cars, jeeps, two-wheelers and emergency vehicles will be allowed in the stretch. There will be a total ban on all other vehicles,” the order said.
In North Karnataka, for the first time in the last 40 years, the water in Tungabhadra Reservoir, near Hospete in Vijayanagara district, reached the brim before the expected time, owing to the continuous rains in the catchment areas, especially in the Western Ghats, local authorities said.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka health department has issued an order on the preparations to be made across the state to handle the flood situation.
“As most districts are experiencing heavy monsoon showers, increased mosquitogenic conditions and an upsurge in Vector Borne Diseases (VBDs) like malaria, dengue, chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis and lymphatic filariasis is likely. The District administration should, therefore, ensure the preparedness to respond to the situation at the earliest,” said the health department order.
According to the department, rapid response teams at district and taluk levels must be kept alert with all requisite commodities, equipment and mobility support, to respond immediately to any emerging health situation. “Village/ward level micro-plan for the flood-prone areas should be available, to implement necessary control measures at a short notice. Medical Officers at PHCs should be instructed to increase/strengthen disease-specific surveillance (both active & passive) activities, and analyse the data at the micro level to detect the upsurge in (VBDs), so that containment measures can be taken to prevent any upsurge of VBDs,” said the department order.
It further added that as a surge in cases of VBDs may be anticipated as floods recede, it is necessary to ensure that the surveillance and vector control activities are in place, till the situation returns to normal. It is therefore reiterated to ensure that all concerted efforts are put to prevent any impending outbreak of vector-borne diseases, in the larger interest of public health.
“Interdepartmental Coordination meeting shall be conducted to seek necessary co-operation from the concerned Departments and also their role during flood /outbreak situations. District administration shall ensure that the health officials & other allied department officials/staff visit the areas at risk to ensure the ongoing surveillance activities & availability of necessary logistics. A Control Room may be set up for close monitoring and coordination at all levels, for the above-mentioned purpose,” read the orders issued by the department.
