Toll in rain-related incidents touches 18 in Karnataka

Bangalore, Aug 7 (UNI) The death toll in rain-related incidents in Karnataka touched 18, with three more deaths reported today.

Two deaths were reported in the coastal districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada. A fisherman, hailing from Tamil Nadu, drowned after his boat capsized and a woman was killed in a house collapse in Suratkal.

A report from Hubli said a 29-year-old man was killed when a mud house collapsed at Kurudikeri village in Dharwad district.

Standing crops in several thousand acres of land were destroyed due to heavy rains in Dharwad and Haveri districts. Over 1000 people, staying on the banks of river Kumudwati, were shifted to safer places.

Official sources said Haveri district received 25 per cent above normal rain, leading to water logging in over 2,400 acres of land.

Following floods, there was outbreak of Gastroenteritis at Guddadanver village, where five cases were reported.

A report from Mangalore said heavy rains continued to lash the coastal districts for the fourth day with storm water inundating low lying areas.

The water level of River Nethravathi was barely 0.3 metre short of the danger mark of 8.5 metres at Bantwal. Several rivulets and streams were in spate.

Reports said seven houses in Kundapura and Udupi taluks were damaged.

At Kamalashile in Kundapura, the water of river Kuble entered the sanctum sanctorum of famous Sri Brahmi Durgaparameshwari temple.

Rains continued to batter Shimoga, Hassan and Kodagu districts.

The river Cauvery was in spate in Kodagu district, marooning several villages.

Authorities had issued a flood warning to the people living down stream K R Sagar reservoir across river Cauvery.

The inflow into the reservoir was 58,263 cusecs and the discharge 20,314 cusecs this morning.

The authorites were likely to increase the discharge as the reservoir had already touched its full level of 124.8 ft. Inflows into Kabini, Hemavathi and Harangi reservoirs in the Cauvery basin had also increased substantially.

Consequently the discharge had been stepped up, irrigation department authorities said in Mysore.

UNI