Kodagu Rains: Chief priest of Talacauvery temple, family missing in landslide

Team Udayavani, Aug 6, 2020, 3:04 PM IST

Bengaluru: The chief priest of Talacauvery Temple and his family members are missing after heavy rainfall triggered a massive landslide at Bramhagiri Hills.

Two houses, including that of the priest Narayana Achar have been washed away in the rains.

“At least four to five people- including the Talacauvery temple priest and family are currently missing… rescue teams have reached the spot,” officials said, adding that sensing danger the priest had been asked to vacate the house earlier but he did not.

This is the third consecutive year that Kodagu is facing floods and landslides, putting lives and property at risk.

Several districts of the state’s coastal, Malnad and north interior regions have been put on red alert as heavy rainfall is predicted for next 3-4 days.

Officials said, “… depending on the situation we will downgrade the alerts, it (rains) is likely to reduce during the next couple of days…wind speed is also high some parts, it may also reduce.”

Revenue Minister R Ashoka said he had spoken to Deputy Commissioners of all the districts and given them necessary instructions to respond immediately to the situation. He has called for a meeting of the disaster management authority later today.

Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said he will be holding a meeting with the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) regarding relief and rescue measures to be taken.

Several parts of north Karnataka, especially the border district of Belagavi are also facing flood situation as inflow has increased in Krishna river and its tributaries due to heavy rains in neighboring Maharashtra and also in the district.

With inflow increasing in Tungabhadra river, there is flood like situation in parts of Ballari district also.

There is a similar situation in Uttara Kannada district that is battered by rains and heavy winds.

The swollen Gangavali river has caused flood like situation in parts of the district.

Due to continuous rains in coastal and Malnad region several rivers including Netravati are swollen and gates of the dams have been opened.

There are also reports of heavy rains and wind causing destruction to crops in parts of Dharwad and Haveri among other districts.

The Karnataka government had recently said it has identified 1,989 villages and over 51 lakh people in 19 districts as flood prone.

As a temporary arrangement for those who will be affected by floods, as many as 1,747 relief centres have been identified- they are schools, anganwadi centres, community centres among others, Minister Ashoka had said recently.

In August 2019, Karnataka witnessed one of its worst natural calamities when heavy floods affected 103 taluks in 22 districts, killing more than 80 people and displacing nearly seven lakh people