With infrastructural losses worth crores, districts around the Krishna basin have been badly hit by incessant rains in the last three days.
Six deaths – two from Kalaburgi district and four from Bidar district – have been reported in this period.
Srinivas Reddy, Director of the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Center, told The News Minute that the floods have caused a serious situation. “It garnered less attention from media because of the Cauvery issue. The district administration took immediate action to reduce the damage,” he said.
Bidar district, which faced one of the worst floods in recent times, suffered major losses to crops, livestock and infrastructure, Srinivas said.
“The KSNDMC has to prepare a report on loss. But during the meeting with the revenue minister Kagodu Thimmappa on Saturday, the Bidar district commissioner said a minimum of Rs 40 crore worth infrastructure was lost. The rest of it has to be assessed,” he said.
“70% of the crops sown in Kalaburgi and Bidar have been damaged. The government will give compensation of Rs 6,800 per hectare of rainfed crops and Rs 13,500 per hectare of irrigated crop lost under a special package,” he said.
Although the rains have lessened and water levels are receding in many areas, fears of more flooding are expected to be prevalent until the dams are closed.
Currently water is being released from the Malkhed dam in Sedam, Chandrampalli Dam in Chincholi taluk and Harsur Dam across Bennethora River in Chitapur taluk in Kalaburgi.
“The rains are expected to decrease in a couple of hours. There might be moderate rains but will not continue for long. However, the dams are still open. So the situation will be under control only if the dams are closed,” he added.
Govindh Reddy, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kalaburgi district, said that in the last two days 31 people have been rescued from Chittapur and Chincholi taluk. The National Disaster Response Force was also called in on Saturday.
“We have opened shelters in drier villages. Over 683 families, that is, close to 2,700 people, have been housed in the shelters. We are providing food and water to these people. ”
Asked about infrastructural and crop damage, Reddy said, “Over 1,300 houses were totally damaged and 35,000 hectares of crop was lost.”
He said that a 31-year-old man from Chincholi taluk and an 8-year-old boy from Tajsultanpur village died in the floods. Two children, who were missing during the floods in Tajsulatanpur on Saturday, were found and handed over to the families.
The Deputy Commissioner of Bidar was not available for comment on the situation in that district, despite repeated attempts to contact him.