Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah announces Rs. 5 lakh compensation to next of kin

Mysore/Mysuru: Two individuals each from Mandya and Chamarajanagar districts lost their lives in the landslides reported in Wayanad district, Kerala, yesterday.

The deceased include Puttasiddi (62) and Rani (50) from Chamarajanagar, Leelavathi and her two-and-a-half-year-old grandson Nihal from Mandya. Their bodies were recovered from the disaster site.

Official sources confirm that Puttasiddi of Gundlupet had been residing in Chooralmala village in Wayanad for the past 30 years. The search is on for Rajan (50) and Rajani (45) from Chamarajanagar taluk.

Swamishetty of Triambakapura in Gundlupet taluk, who was visiting relatives in Meppadi, suffered minor injuries and has been rescued. He is currently receiving treatment at Vythri Taluk Hospital near Wayanad.

Media reports mentioned the deaths of Rathnamma (45) and Rajendra (50) from  Erasawadi village, Chamarajanagar district. However,  official confirmation is pending. Chamarajanagar Tahsildar Girija and Gundlupet Tahsildar Ramesh Kumar are stationed in Wayanad to gather information about the missing persons from Chamarajanagar and other districts.

Ramesh Kumar visited the relief camp at St. Joseph UP School in Meppadi and met Vinod and his family members from Chamarajanagar, who are currently residing there.

11 from Mandya missing

In addition to the confirmed deaths, Leelavathi and her grandson Nihal, three family members from Mandya are missing. Jhansirani, Anil Kumar (her husband) and Anil’s father Devaraju remain unaccounted for.

Anil Kumar, from Sargur taluk in Mysuru, had been working at a tea estate in Mundakkai. Jhansirani is from K.R. Pet taluk in Mandya. Furthermore, nine people from Malavalli taluk who had visited Wayanad are also reported missing, though this has not yet been officially confirmed.

Entry ban at waterfalls

As a precaution due to heavy rainfall in the Cauvery and Kabini catchment areas, the Chamarajanagar District Administration has banned tourist entry to Wellesley Bridge (Lushington Bridge), Shivanasamudra, Bharachukki and Hogenakkal Falls.

A press release stated that ban will be in effect from July 31 to August 2, anticipating increased discharge of water from the Kabini and KRS reservoirs to the river.