Vehicular traffic towards Bangalore on Pune – Bangalore highway resumed in a phased manner for essential commodities like petrol, diesel, gas cylinders, medicines and vegetables, which was suspended for last six days due to the flood fury.
The water level is receding quickly as the water from various dams is being released after the respite from heavy rains. Many trucks stranded between Karad and Kolhapur were allowed to travel towards Bangalore and decision regarding the other vehicles will be taken in the afternoon after checking the water level.
However, in Satara District vehicular movement is yet to begin and it will remain suspended till further orders. 5 lakh 40 thousand cusecs water is being released from Almatti dam in Karnataka while 1400 cusecs water is being released from Koyna dam in Maharashtra.
Presently 84 barrages on Panchaganga river are marooned in water and the water level is still above the danger mark. Meanwhile, the relief measures by the state government and various NGO’s are in full swing and the NGO’s, as well as political parties, are collecting relief materials in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Virar- Vasai area. In Sangli water has receded in many parts of the city and bus services as well as internal traffic is resumed today.
Though the intensity of rain decreased in Kerala, the situation remains grim in the State. In heavy rain and landslides in the last 5 days, death toll crossed 80.
In Karnataka, five rescue personnel went missing when their boat capsized today in Koppal while carrying out rescue operations. Efforts are on to look for their survival. The efforts to shift people to safety continue from areas still inundated in Koppal. Several areas in Mudhol taluk in Bagalkote are still inundated. In other parts of North Karnataka, the situation eases as the rescue and relief measures have gained steam.
Krishna River recedes from several areas in Belagavi and Vijayapura. As the situation is turning to normalcy passenger trains service has resumed between Vijayapura and Gadag. The road connectivity to Udupi, Mangaluru and Chickmagalur have resumed but on a diverted route as ghat sections still, remain cut off. Paschim Vahini river has inundated Srirangapatna town near Mysuru. NDRF team rescued people stuck in Belthangady taluk in Dakshin Kannada district.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa is touring in Dakshin Kannada district today to oversee the relief measures. He has asked district officials to keep sufficient stock of relief materials. Former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy touring Hassan district has said that the calamity has displaced over four lakh people in the state, farmers have lost their harvest and houses. He asked the Central Government to come to the rescue of state.