Udupi: Flood Causes Havoc around Brahmavar - Swarna and Sita Soaring

Incessant rains in the last week have resulted in floods in the areas of Brahmavar constituency from Monday August 1. Though the water had receded by Monday evening, heavy to very heavy rains on Monday night coupled with storm winds resulted in the rising of water by 3 am on Tuesday August 2.

By the time the people were up from their bed on Tuesday their houses had been covered with floods in Uppoor, Havanje, Baikady, Keelinje, Kavadi, Hanehalli, Mabukal, Nandankudru and other areas.

About 1390 acres of agricultural land has been affected by floods while more than 600 houses have been marooned in 14 villages owing to torrential rains and overflowing of Sita, Swarna and Sowparnika rivers in the district. In Uppoor alone almost 300 houses have been under water. More than 200 persons have been evacuated from the affected areas.

Water level started rising in the Swarna and Sita rivers from Monday night and by Tuesday morning the water level in the river had rose more than 8 feet leaving low-lying areas of Uppoor, Havanje, Baikady, Mabukal etc in floods. There is water on the either side of the national highway 17 between Udupi and Brahmavar

DC Visits Affected Areas

Udupi deputy commissioner T Shyam Bhat, assistant commissioner Madan Nayak, RTO Omkareshwari and Udupi tahsildar K Muralidhar visited the flood- affected areas on Tuesday and took stock of the situation. The deputy commissioner ordered to arrange for 20 ferry boats for relief work in the flood-battered areas. He also ordered the administration to open food centres at Neelavar and Uppoor for the evacuees.

Fifty people who were in danger as water made way into Aroor area were soon rescued by the fire brigade staff and were brought to safer places. Local organizations and panchayats too helped in reaching out to the people affected by floods.

Though the waters kept on rising there have been no reports of any casualties from anywhere so far. A house and cowshed belonging to one Raghu Devadiga of Hanehalli collapsed on Tuesday. But no casualties have been reported. All the 6 people of the house have been shifted to a safer place.

Speaking to the reporters, deputy commissioner said that another 20 ferry boats and 20 expert swimmers too have been kept on call as standby. So too if needed more food centres will be started, he added.

More than 40 persons have been shifted to Jnaneshwari Sabha Bhavan at Kolalgiri while more than 37 persons have been shifted to a nearby temple at Nandankudru. In Uppoor, which has been, worst affected more than 100 persons were shifted to safer places by Home Guards. The road between Jathabettu and Uppoor is submerged completely under waters so also the road between Kemmannu and Hoode, which too has been submerged.