Around 30 people affected by the floods and landslips are stuck near Malleshanagudda

Places around Kalasa and Balur in Mudigere taluk, that attract hundreds of visitors on the weekends, are the worst-hit in the floods. Heavy rains that lashed the villages in Kalasa and Balur hoblis of the taluk, have left many villages inundated and cut off.

Landslips, caused due to continuous downpour, have made the life miserable for locals. Malemane, Meguru, Sankasale, Durgadalli, Balige, Halladka Estate, Javali, Tatkola in Balur hobli and Idakani, Hirebailu and Malleshanagudda village have lost road connectivity. Around 30 people affected by the floods and landslips are stuck near Malleshanagudda.

Two people died and one is missing as a result of landslips at Channagadlu village. In Kalasa, a temple town, people have been evacuated from flood-hit areas to safer places. Padmavathi and Varalakshmi temples in Samse village are inundated. As Bhadra has been in spate, many villages are surrounded by water.

People around Kalasa in Mudigere taluk are the worst-hit. Many incidents of landslides and flooding have been reported from this area. The rescue teams have not been able to reach some places. Photo by special arrangement | Photo Credit: SpecialArrangement

The road connectivity between Kalasa and Kudremukh has been cut off. Similarly, the road connecting Kalasa and Balehonnur is flooded. “We cannot go anywhere outside Kalasa. Landslips have occurred in many coffee estates close to Kalasa. Rains subsided on Sunday morning,” said Prem Sagar, a resident of Kalasa.

76 rescued

As many as 76 people were stuck at Alekhan Horatti near Kottigehara in Mudigere taluk. Local rescue teams had not been able to reach the place to shift them to safer places. A team of 34 from the Indian Army reached Mudigere on Saturday and began the rescue work on Sunday.

K.H. Shivakumar, Assistant Commissioner, told The Hindu, “The Army has successfully rescued all those stuck at Alekhan Horatti,” the officer said. The rescued were offered food at Kottigehara.

Alekhan Horatti is a hamlet located on the hills close to Charmadi Ghat. There is no proper road to the village. Two years ago a student of the village had written to the Prime Minister seeking basic amenities. Her letter received a response from the Prime Minister’s office, but nothing improved on the ground.

Similarly, many landslips have occurred near Mullayyanagiri, Bababudangiri in Chikkamagaluru taluk. Chikkamagaluru Deputy Commissioner Bagadi Gautam has stopped the entry of tourists to the hill station.