Karnataka govt likely to increase flood relief measures, CM says situation in state 'more severe' than last year

Bengaluru: A day after conducting an aerial survey of four flood-hit disricts, Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa said on Thursday the flood situation this year was more severe than the previous year and the Centre has been apprised about it. The Chief Minister was speaking to reporters before attending the cabinet meeting at the Vidhana Soudha, the state secretariat. “The flood situation this year has been severest compared to the previous year. Houses and crops were damaged. We have apprised the Centre about it. There is a need to give more relief,” Yediyurappa said. He said a decision to give more relief to the flood affected people will be taken in the cabinet meeting. On Wednesday, Yediyurappa had conducted an aerial survey of Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, Yadgir and Raichur districts where the swollen Bhima river has wreaked havoc for the past nine days. The Indian Army and personnel of the National and State Disaster Response Forces are engaged in rescue operations in the region. Maintaining that there was no dearth of funds, Yediyurappa said already a financial assistance of Rs 10,000 has been given to the affected families and more will be given in line with the compensation paid last year. According to the Karnataka Disaster Management Authority commissioner Manoj Rajan, 247 villages have been identified as vulnerable while 43,158 people in 136 villages have been evacuated in the four flood hit districts. The district administration has opened 205 relief camps where 37,931 people are staying. The Chief Minister had directed officials in Kalaburagi on Wednesday to make sure that people should not face any problem during their stay in the camps. He had also instructed officials to restore water and electricity supply besides road network, which were severely affected due to the floods, triggered by heavy rains.