Army will help in restoration work in Kodagu: Nirmala Sitharaman

People at a relief camp set up in Kodagu. (IANS Photo)

Defence minister Nirmala Sitharam on Friday visited Kodagu in Karnataka to take stock of the widespread damage caused by floods here. She later said that the Indian Army will help in restoration work being carried out here.

Heavy showers and floods battered the Kodagu in the last 10 days with many people stranded in remote villages across the district. Reports of landslips damaging roads and properties were also received.

Sitharaman said that the Indian Army will play a big role in providing relief to locals here. "I have come here as restoration of some of the roads, houses, buildings, water & electricity connections in Kodagu will be done by the Army," she told reporters. "The Indian Air Force is also trying to help."

Kodagu Deputy Commissioner P. Sreevidya previously said that 51 relief camps have been built which are housing 7,592 people. She said that the administration has rushed food grains and other provisions to towns and villages across the district. 

According to initial estimates, the cumulative loss in the ravaged district is said to be about Rs 2,000-Rs 3,000 crore due to heavy damage to infrastructure like roads, bridges, power lines, apart from houses and agricultural crops.

Two MI-17 helicopters of the Indian Air Force (IAF) took off for relief work earlier this week in Kodagu, operating from Kushalnagar, Periapatna and Harangi.