By IANS
Bangalore : Karnataka has suffered damages of over Rs.10 billion due to heavy rainfall and floods in the last two weeks and will seek central assistance of Rs.5 billion.
This was announced by the state’s Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy Friday after a meeting with senior officials to assess the extent of damage to houses, crops, roads and bridges due to the rain.
As many 13 districts of the state have been affected by heavy rainfall.
The state has already released Rs.500 million for relief and rehabilitation work. Each of the affected districts has another Rs.40 million with it for immediate distribution of relief assistance, officials said.
“I will make an aerial survey of the affected areas tomorrow (Saturday) to assess the damage,” Kumaraswamy told reporters after the meeting with the officials.
Ministers in charge of the districts were already touring the affected areas to supervise relief and rehabilitation work, he said.
The affected districts include Raichur, Bellary, Belgaum and Dharwad in the north, Shimoga and Chikmagalur in central Karnataka, Ududpi and Dakshina Kannada on the western coast and Kodagu in the south.
Around 50 people have lost their lives due to rains since the monsoon began in early June and several hundred heads of cattle, bullocks and buffaloes have also been killed.
Most of the human deaths were caused by wall collapses while some people were washed away by the floods.
The government is giving Rs.100,000 as relief to the families in case of death of a member and Rs.3,000 for those whose dwellings have been damaged to meet their immediate needs, district officials said.