Cong leader Poojary among 1,129 rescued in DK

caption: Rescue team relocating former union minister B Janardhan Poojary from his flood-hit homein Kanchikari Kotlu near B C Road on Saturday. pix by Gonvindraj Javli.

The Baddakatte market near B C Road submerged by Netravathy river in spate on Saturday.

Houses submerged in flood-hit Panemangaluru on Saturday.

As many as 1,129 people including former Union Minister B Janardhan Poojary two pregnant women and two babies were rescued by rescue teams and rehabilitated in 31 relief centres set up across Dakshina Kannada (DK) district on Saturday.

As Netravathi river began flooding the streets in B C Road, 82-year-old Congress leader Janardhana Poojary was rescued from his home, Chennamma Kuteera, in Kanchikaru Kotla near B C road and shifted to Gokarnanatheshwara temple in Kudroli, sources close to his family told DH.

Among the two pregnant women rescued by NDRF personnel in Charmady in Beltangady taluk, one pregnant woman had her delivery due on August 11, sources said.

The district administration had begun relocating people from flood-hit areas with the help of agencies like Indian Coast Guard Friday onwards. With Nethravathi in spate and crossing 11.6 metres, more than 200 people in Bantwal and Panemangaluru were shifted to safer places, with the help of personnel from Indian Coast Guard, fire and emergency services and local rescue teams.

An additional 28 relief centres were identified to accommodate more people hit by floods. Two NDRF teams were deployed at Bantwal and Belthangady. Another NDRF team which left Bengaluru will be reaching Mangaluru in a special KSRTC bus on Sunday, sources told DH. Though water-level in River Nethravathi receded in Bantwal from 11.6 m to 11 m on Saturday, many low-lying areas in Bantwal taluk remained inundated till Saturday evening.

The district administration sounded alert and advised people residing along the banks of Gurupur-Phalguni rivers to shift to safer areas. A youth, identified as Razak, died after slipping into a stream near Valacchil Masjid. Officials continued to camp in areas on the banks of major rivers, prone to flash floods. Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner Sasikanth Senthil S appealed to the people to seek assistance by dialling the toll free number 1077, in case of emergency.

As Nethravathi river was flowing above 9.5 m at Thumbe vented dam, the Mangaluru City Corporation stopped pumping of water temporarily. The DC said the disruption in supply of water to the city is temporary. The pumping of water will begin once the water level dips at the vented dam. In Uppinangady, the water level in Nethravathi and Kumaradhara rivers stood at 31.8 m.

After the flash floods, teams had rescued 517 people with the help of local residents in Belthangady taluk. The roads and bridges in some places had been cut off, the DC said.

Senthil ordered district officials to remain in district headquarters for the next three days and asked them to keep a vigil in their respective areas.

Separate accommodation was set up for men and women in the centres. A relief material collection centre was set up by the district administration.