Cyclone Tauktae: 121 villages affected in Karnataka, eight dead

Besides houses and boats, the cyclone also damaged poles, transformers, power lines and roads.
Maravanthe fisheries road
Maravanthe fisheries road
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Eight people have lost their lives so far in the Cyclone Tauktae-hit coastal and surrounding Malnad districts of Karnataka, a situation report by Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority said on Monday evening. According to officials, 121 villages in seven districts — Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan and Belagavi - have been affected by the cyclone. Among the 121 villages affected, a maximum of 48 are from Uttara Kannada district.

Among the eight deaths reported, two each are from Dakshina Kannada and Belagavi, and one each from Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga, officials said. While two deaths have been reported in Dakshina Kannada because of drowning in sea due to a tug being adrift, two died in Belagavi due to house collapse. A fisherman who went to tie his boat in Uttara Kannada died as he got hit by another boat, while one person died of electric mishap in Udupi. One death each were reported in Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga due to house collapse and lightning respectively.

Authorities said that 387 houses were damaged due to the cyclone. Among them, 57 houses are fully damaged and 330 are partially damaged, the report said. One animal loss has been reported from Dakshina Kannada. A total of 711 poles, 153 transformers, 9,203 metres of lines, 56.2 km of road, 57 nets and 116 boats have been damaged, it said, adding that agriculture and horticulture crop losses have been estimated in about 30 hectares and in about 2.87 hectares, respectively.

The Met department has forecast that thunderstorms accompanied by lightning with light to moderate spells of rain and gusty winds speed reaching 30-40 kmph were likely to affect Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Kodagu, Belagavi, Dharwad, Chamarajanagara, Ramangara, Bengaluru Urban and Rural, Ballari, Chitradurga and Chikkaballapura districts.

Officials on Sunday had said as the cyclone system was moving further north, towards Maharashtra coast, the cyclone's impact was likely to come down from Monday over the state. Around 1,000 trained personnel from fire force, police, coastal police, home guards, SDRF have been deployed in the three coastal and neighbouring districts for rescue and relief operations, and NDRF teams have also been roped in.

Meanwhile, officials said all nine crew members stranded on tug 'Coromandel' have been rescued. Indian Navy's ALH helicopter rescued four seamen stranded onboard the tug which had run aground close to the coast of New Mangalore, while five of them were rescued by boat, they said, adding that they are being provided medical treatment.

In Mangaluru, Revenue Minister R Ashok told reporters after a review meeting with district officials that he has directed the Dakshina Kannada district administration to immediately provide Rs 10,000 to 182 families affected by the incessant rains caused by Tauktae.

He said 87 houses have been damaged in the district, of which 63 have been partially damaged. The government would provide a compensation ranging from Rs 1 lakh and Rs 5 lakh to the people to rebuild their houses. The Minister said he would visit Udupi, Bhatkal and Karwar on Tuesday and take steps to release the compensation available under NDRF and SDRF funds.

The total funds available for Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Uttara Kannada was Rs 106 crore.The deputy commissioners of the districts concerned can use the available fund for road works and to provide relief to the affected people, said the Minister.

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