Heavy rains claim 18 lives in two days

Bangalore, Sep 19 (UNI) Heavy rains that lashed the districts of North Karnataka claimed 18 lives during the last two days, with nine deaths reported today from Raichur, Bellary, Koppal and Gadag districts even as Air Force choppers were pressed into service to evacuate people from the marooned villages.

Officials said though the rains abated today the water levels remained grim in Krishna, Tungabhadra, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha and some other minor rivers that were in spate following torrential rains which caused floods in the Northern parts of the state. Thousands of houses partially or fully collapsed due to heavy rains and officials were working round-the-clock to provide relief to the affected people. Relief centres were opened in most of the places.

Three persons who were injured in a house collapse in Gadag district yesterday died today at KIMS in Hubli city. A young woman and a boy were washed away in Utakanur tank in Raichur district while another person was killed when lightning struck him and another died in a wall collapse in the same district.

In Bellary city, a woman was killed in a wall collapse in Devi Nagar area, while one person was killed in a similar mishap in Jamapur village of rain ravaged Koppal district.

MORE UNI