Due to incessant rains and rising water levels, the Shivamogga district administration has requested a team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel to start rescue efforts in the district.
"We have requested a rescue team to be on stand-by in the district," confirmed an official in the Deputy Commissioner's office. The request comes after rains continued to lash coastal and Malnad regions of Karnataka.
30 villages in Shivamogga district, particularly in Hosanagara taluk, have been hit by heavy rains. So far, rescue teams have concentrated efforts in evacuating people in northern Karnataka districts of Belagavi, Raichur and Uttara Kannada. But with the Karnataka State Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) predicting heavy rainfall in coastal and Malnad regions of the state, the district administration has decided to request rescue teams in Shivamogga.
The water level at the Linganamakki reservoir built over the Sharavathi river was at 1799 feet against the maximum height of 1819 feet. The inflow of water into the reservoir was 11,000 cusecs. This is the reservoir close to the iconic Jog Falls which was flowing in full flow on Thursday. The Tunga reservoir has attained its full storage capacity of 588 m.
Due to the possibility of a further increase in the water level in Tunga, Sharavathi, Varada and Bhadra rivers in the district following continuous rainfall, the district administration has made preparations to tackle the situation.
The roads connecting Hosanagara and Kollur in Udupi district has been blocked due to water-logging while the bridge between Soraba and Jade has been inundated with water. A holiday has been declared in the district due to the rains.
The district administration can be contacted on the number - 8296283691. Residents of the district can even send messages and pictures on WhatsApp on the number. The control room number for Shivamogga is 08182-271101, 08182-267226