Vijayawada/Bangalore: Water levels in
flood-devastated Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka continued to
recede on Tuesday as the administrations carried out relief and
rescue operations on a war-footing while the death toll in the
two states due to the unseasonal rains rose to 269.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sanctioned ex-gratia
relief of Rs one lakh each to the next of kin of those killed
in the deluge. He will make an aerial survey of the
flood-ravaged areas of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh on Friday.
The brunt of the rain fury in Karnataka was borne by
Bagalkot district with 33 deaths followed by Bijapur (31),
Raichur (30), Gulbarga (21), Kopal (20), Bellary (19), Belgaum
(12), Gadag (13), Karwar (11), Davangere (7), Dharwad and
Bidar (3 each), Chikballapura (2) and Dakshina Kannada (1).
The B S Yeddyurappa government estimated the loss
caused by the rain fury to roads, bridges, culverts, houses,
village and infrastructure and standing crops in 25 lakh
hectares at about Rs 16,500 crore and mobilised all its
resources to provide succour to the flood tormented people.
Around 2.5 lakh houses have either collapsed or been
damaged by the torrential rains for a week with as many as 1.8
crore people affected in 1,490 villages where 6.60 lakh people
rendered homeless had been sheltered in 1,619 camps.
In Andhra Pradesh, the death toll rose to 63 even as
the situation improved and outflows from Srisailam and
Nagarjunasagar projects were being reduced gradually.
The highest number of 38 deaths were reported in
Kurnool district, followed by 20 in Mahabubnagar district,
three in Nalgonda and one each in Krishna and Guntur, Revenue
Minister D Prasada Rao said in Hyderabad.
"The impact of reduction in outflows from Srisailam
and Nagarjunasagar would be visible from tonight onwards
below Prakasam barrage," Rao said.
"From around 11 pm, flow below Prakasam barrage is
expected to show a receding trend from the peak level of
record 10.9 lakh cusec. Present level is 21.6 feet as against
22 feet observed last night," he said.
The government, however, stressed the need to keep a
vigil along the flood banks during the receding of water as
the soil tends to slip.
He said as many as 16,20,398 people were affected by
the floods, which damaged 62,286 houses. The search and rescue
operation involved 805 army personnel, 439 boats, 1,576
swimmers and 19 helicopters. As many as 5,27,172 people were
evacuated to safer places and 3,59,799 people taking shelter
in 275 relief camps, Rao said.
A 50-ft breach caused to the embankment of Krishna
river at Oleru near Penumudi in Guntur district became a major
cause for concern as the flood water gushing through it left
more than 25 villages inundated in Repalle and Bhattiprolu
mandals.
Meanwhile, President Pratibha Patil called up both
Yeddyurappa and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah and
inquired about the flood situation in the states and the
impact. Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee also spoke to them
and offered to ferry the flood relief material by trains free
of cost.
Earlier, Home Minister P Chidambaram, who visited
flood-hit areas of the two states, said the governments may
utilise the Calamity Relief Fund immediately and once 75 per
cent of CRF is exhausted, they may draw on the National
Calamity Contingency Fund.
25 more villages inundated in AP
A 50-ft breach caused to river
embankment at Oleru near Penumudi in Guntur district has
become a major cause for concern as the flood water gushing
through it has left more than 25 villages inundated in Repalle
and Bhattiprolu mandals in Andhra Pradesh today.
Repalle town too is likely to get marooned by late night
because of the heavy flood, according to state Minister for
Law and Technical Education Mopidevi Venkata Ramana.
"The breach started occurring around 1 AM and gradually
widened causing widespread inundation. We have requested
Reliance Industries Limited to send some of its engineers and
men to help fill the breach," Ramana told agency over phone from
Repalle.
Bureau Report
First Published: Wednesday, October 07, 2009, 00:20