Kodagu to run out of fuel in two days; 13 roads cut off

KRS water level touches 100 feet; maximum 124 feet 

Madikeri/ Mysore: Over 2,136 people are taking shelter in 25 relief camps across Kodagu District and the number of people being shifted to relief centres will see a dramatic increase as the rain is showing no signs of relenting. Life in Kodagu has been severely crippled with torrential downpour continuing to pound the district with more intensity. More than 25 places in Kodagu especially in the South region are in the grip of floods.

More than 500 families have been shifted to relief centres set up at various places and food and toilet facilities are being provided. More camps are expected to be set up with the rise in the number of people being rescued from their marooned homes and villages. Landslips have cut off road connectivity in more than 25 places and relief teams have been deployed to clear debris fallen on the roads. 

Running out of fuel

Kodagu might run of petrol, diesel and LPG in another two days. While some of the petrol pumps in main areas of Gonikoppal and Ponnampet are covered with rainwater, other fuel stations are finishing up last stocks. Fresh fuel has to come from Chennai via Mysuru for the situation to be normal.

 Fuel supply from Mangaluru has been snapped as the National Highway 275 has caved in at many places and the movement of heavy vehicles have   been banned. 

At relief centres, there are people aged between zero and 80 and there are over 100 residents housed at Srimangala relief centre. Honnikoppalu village near Kirugooru in Ponnampet has been completely submerged and hundreds of people have been shifted to relief centres. 

Areas affected

In Madikeri Taluk, there are five places that are severely affected by rain and landslips – Bhagamandala, Hoddur, Kiggalu, and Kodamboor. In Virajpet Taluk, Karadigodu and Guhya have been severely affected. In Somwarpet, Kumbaragundi and Bettadakaadu villages have been affected. In Kushalnagar, Sai Layout, Kuvempu Layout, Thammanna Shetty Road, Indira and Nizamuddin Layouts have been affected. 

In Virajpet town, Arasunagar, Nehrunagar, Subhashnagar, and Vijayanagar have been severely affected and areas including Malethirike Hill, Mogaragalli, Sunkadakatte and Appaiah Swamy Layout are reeling under floods. 

13 roads cut off

Roads and State Highways such as Virajpet-Makutta Road, Bhagamandala-Talacauvery Road, Bhagamandala-Madikeri Road, Murnad-Virajpet Road, Gonikoppa-Ponnampet Road, Koynadu-Jodupala Road, Ayyangeri-Bhagamandala Road, Napoklu-Paarane Road, Siddapura-Karadigodu Road, Bhagamandala-Napoklu Road, Murnad-Napoklu Road, Nittoor-Balele Road, Gonikoppal-Balele Road have been cut off. 

Cauvery and Lakshmanatheertha are in full spate with no let up in torrential rains, submerging several villages and coffee estates, and crippling road connectivity, including highways, phone and power connections. 

A red alert has been issued till August 10 as India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy to very heavy downpour (204 mm and above). Residents living in villages along these roads are stranded and using hilly routes to reach the mainland. 

South Kodagu is bearing the brunt of torrential rains as several acres of paddy fields have been marooned and flooded-roads are caving in, cutting off vehicle movement. Many trees have uprooted and blocked road connectivity. 

Kushalnagar, which was badly hit by floods last year, was flooded yesterday after more than 30,000 cusecs of water is being discharged from Harangi. People struck in flooded localities were rescued in inflatable boats and shifted to the relief centres. 

The District Administration is making arrangements to start more relief camps as more villages were being marooned and the affected people are being rescued. Steps have been taken to reach out relief materials to the needy in the affected villages. 

Meanwhile, heavy rain in the catchment area of the Cauvery and its tributaries since the last few days has increased the storage levels of major reservoirs. Today’s level at Krishna Raja Sagar in Mandya District has touched the 100-feet mark as against the maximum level of 124.80 feet. There is an inflow of 60,000 cusecs and the dam might reach its maximum level in another two or three days.