Spread of contagious diseases feared in flood-hit areas

People in the residential areas submerged during floods now fear an outbreak of contagious diseases.

Residential layouts in Kushalnagar town are turning back to normalcy as the floods are receding. But the areas inundated due to floods caused by River Cauvery are affected by the stench, owing to garbage washed away by the floods.

The house premises are covered with slush. A lot of junk has been carried along in the course of the floods. Snakes are also found in several houses.

People are now facing the problem of water shortage and are unable to find sufficient water to clean the houses. Some of the residents have been dumping the garbage accumulated in the houses and the damaged household items on roadsides.

Residents of Sri Saibaba Layout, Kuvempu extension, Russel Layout, Seegaramma Extension, Indira extension, Dandinapete, Vivekananda Extension, Yogananda Extension and Adi Shankaracharya Extension are busy cleaning their houses. Wastewater mixed with slush is getting accumulated in the gutter, being unable to flow further.

Following the fear of the spread of diseases in the region, civil workers of the town panchayat have been sprinkling bleaching powder in the residential layouts.

Restoration works cannot be taken on war footing as almost the entire town was submerged during floods. Measures have been taken to operate medical units to look after the health of the victims staying in the relief centres, said the officials.