Boats sent from Mysuru Fire Brigade to Kodagu

Kodagu administration seeks relief items; prepares list of 23 items that can be donated to collection centres

Mysuru:  Kodagu is facing the wrath of rain fury this year also as heavy showers continued to lash the district and there is no respite. Rivers Cauvery, Lakshmanatheertha, Keerepole and many rivulets have breached the danger level and have overflowed, submerging the surrounding areas. 

With road connectivity snapping, stranding vehicular traffic, boats are the only means of transport to shift people to relief centres. As of now, 25 relief centres have been set up at various parts of Kodagu, especially in the South region and more than 2,500 people have been accommodated there. Food, shelter and sanitation facilities are being provided to them.

With rivers swollen, submerging more than 70 villages, the authorities are finding it difficult to reach affected areas for rescue operations. Two additional platoons of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in the district and villagers have climbed hilly areas to protect themselves from flood.

More than 50 rafters are being used for rescue efforts and boats are being despatched from Mysuru Fire Brigade Office to handle the distress situation. Even the Kodagu District Administration has stocks of boats and has sent them to Siddapura, Karadigodu and other areas to rescue people. Also, boats are being transported on top of jeeps to South Kodagu where River Lakshmanatheertha is flooding roads and villages.

While one boat has been shipped to Kodagu from Mysuru Fire Brigade Office on Friday, another boat was sent yesterday. 

Five officers and 18 staff, who are also expert swimmers, have been despatched. They are carrying a set of life jackets and powerful torches that can beam lights up to 100 metres.

Kodagu seeks help: Meanwhile, the Kodagu District Administration is in need of help as the number of evacuees has been on the rise with each passing day. The State Government as well as the Kodagu District Administration has requested volunteers and organisations to drop aid at collection centres set up in Madikeri and Kushalnagar. 

The Administration has prepared a list of 23 items that can be donated to the centres. They include cooking items and gas stove, plastic buckets and mugs, raincoats and warm clothes, gumboots, slippers, gloves and masks, sanitary napkins and diapers, plastic mats and umbrellas, bed sheets, pillows, nighties, lungis, sweaters and woollen caps, mosquito repellents, torchlights, mops and sanitisers, cleaning liquids, bleaching powder, soaps, shampoo, toothpaste, brush and combs, kitchen utensils, matchboxes and candles, bathing towels and inner garments, luggage bags, cooking oil and antiseptic creams.

Relief material location of centres

The collection centres have been set up at APMC Warehouse in Madikeri (Contact – Srikantamurthy, PDO: 94808-69005) and APMC Warehouse in Kushalnagar (Suresh, lecturer: 97417-57291). 

The Administration said, it does not require medicines, food and perishable items, and have sufficient volunteers.