Heavy rain clams 35 lives in Karnataka

Heavy rains continued to wreak havoc in North Karnataka with 35 more deaths being reported from the region since Thursday night. Eight people were killed in Raichur, six in Bagalkote, five in Bellary, four each in Bijapur, Gulbarga and Gadag and two each in Koppal and Bidar. As the situation remained grave, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa held an emergency meeting, where Air Force and Army officials were present, besides state ministers, to take stock of the situation. Bijapur district was the worst hit by the rains, which has thrown normal life out of gear in the districts of Raichur, Gulbarga, Koppal, Bagalkote, Bellary, Belgaum and Gadag. More than 20,000 houses have collapsed, many areas inundated and road servcies affected in some parts, officials said. Helicopters are being pressed into the service for rescue operations.

Ministers S Suresh Kumar, Sobha Karandlaje and R Ashok, Chief Secretary S V Ranganath, DGP Ajay Kumar Singh and Additional DGP (Land and Ordrer) A R Infant were among those who attended the meeting. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Yedyurrappa described the situation in 11 districts as "grim and serious". About 26,000 houses had collapsed following torrential rains in various parts of the state. The situation in North Karnataka, which had witnessed unprecedent rains, was serious, he said. The Chief Secretary was in touch with the Central Defence Secretary and had faxed a report of the situation in the state. Yeddyurappa said he would visit the rain-affected Haveri district on Friday. An aerial survey of Bellary, Koppal, Raichur and Gadag would be carried out on October four, he said.