Karnataka declares 130 taluks as flood-hit zones

Karnataka government on Thursday, declared 130 taluks in 23 districts as flood hit zones. An order, issued by Revenue Department (Disaster Management), said that due to very heavy rainfall and floods in the month of August, loss of life, crop loss in large tracts of land, damage to basic facilities and others were reported.

All the taluks of Malnad and coastal districts, which recorded very heavy rainfall in August for the third year in a row, have been declared flood-hit. The torrential downpour had triggered flooding and landslides in parts of Western Ghats, resulting in widespread damages.

The rainfall in Malnad and coastal districts, which are prime catchment areas for rivers originating in Karnataka, had triggered flooding in downstream districts such as Koppal, Ballari, Mysuru and Chamarajanagar, where several taluks were affected. Similarly, districts in which River Krishna passes through, had also faced severe floods, forcing authorities to shift residents from low-lying areas to relief centres.

In North Karnataka region, 14 taluks of Belagavi district, nine taluks each in Kalaburgi and Bagalkot disrtricts, have been declared flood-hit, according to the government order.