A person has died of house collapse in Mallur of Shidlaghatta taluk. The name of the deceased is given as Munianjinappa (45). More than ten houses in the low-lying areas of Bhagatsingh Nagar, Nakkalakunte and Prashanth Nagar in the town have collapsed. Rain water gushed into houses in new bus stand area and those located behind govt first grade college.
Articles of daily necessity have been washed away in the flooding waters. Police constables and fire fighting personnel strived hard the entire night in draining out water, collected to a level of five feet, from the area behind cocoon market in the city. Municipal workers and personnel from fire fighting department were seen engaged in clearing water clogging in the area, mostly populated by labouring class. The fury of incessant rains have washed away festive spirit in the taluk.
Ganji centres:
Administration has swung into action to rescue and rehabilitate the people affected from the downpour. Gruel centres have been opened in Vapasandra, Jai Bheem hostel and pre-university college.
Food is also being supplied to the areas where gruel centres cannot be set-up. People residing in low-lying areas are being evacuated to school and college buildings in view of forecast of heavy rains for the next two days. Revenue department has disbursed an ex-gratia of Rs 1,000 to owners of collapsed houses.
Police personnel have took up the onerous task of clearing the clogged drains on a war-foot basis in order to pre-empt further damage. Blocked stormwater drains are said to be the prime reason for overflowing gutters causing inundation.
City municipal counci lmembers rushed to the affected areas for assistance. Legislator Bachchegowda and CMC president Manjunath visited the waterlogged areas.
Distraught residents of Bhagatsingh nagar staged a demonstration in front of the house of deputy commissioner demanding relief work in the wee hours of Tuesday.
The DC immediately directed the officers concerned to undertake necessary relief and rehabilitation work. He later visited the affected areas.
Rains have caused extensive damage elsewhere in the district. Standing crops of millet and tomato have been washed away in Nagamangala, Bhaktarahally, Mallur, Nadapanayakanahally and other villages of Shidlaghatta taluk. Gushing waters have killed as many as 8,000 birds died in a poultry farm at Bhaktarahally. Gardens in Anakanur, Sabbenahalli, Agalakurki villages have turned into virtual islands. Mutstur and Hanumanthapura taluks have breached while water level in Rangadhama, Gopalakrishna and Kandavara tanks has gone up substantially. Some of these tanks were bereft of water for the past 12 years. The extent and value of damage is yet to be assessed.
Record rains
The rains that pummelled the district on Monday night have washed out the record of the last ten years. While Chikkaballapur kasaba has recorded a rainfall of 158.8 mm in a span of seven hours, Chikkaballapur city has recorded 78 mm, Gowribidanur 79.8 mm, Gudibande 64.4 mm, Shidlaghatta 62.4 mm, Bagepalli 37.7 mm and Chinthamani has recorded rainfall of 13.3 mm.
