Heavy rain kills 61 in Karnataka, Andhra

Bangalore/Hyderabad: At least 46 people have been killed in Karnataka and 15 in Andhra Pradesh due to heavy rains, officials said on Thursday. The downpour has inundated several villages, damaged crops and disrupted communication and transport links.

There was no respite from rain on Thursday and schools and colleges in most of the affected places in Karnataka were shut for the day, it was officially stated.

"We have information that 46 people have died. Information from far flung areas is yet to reach us," a spokesperson of the Karnataka revenue ministry told IANS.

The worst affected was Bijapur district, about 580 km from Bangalore, with 17 deaths. The victims were either washed away in flooded rivers or died when their homes collapsed.

Belgaum, 500 kms from Bangalore, Koppal, 380 kms, Bellary, 270 kms, Raichur, 360 kms, Bagalkot, 500 kms and Bidar, 620 kms, are the other districts battered by the downpour.

In Andhra Pradesh, the rain has been incessant since on Wednesday and has thrown normal life out of gear.

Several villages in Mahbubnagar and Kurnool districts were inundated as rivulets, streams and tanks were overflowing. Officials said at least 10 tanks in Mahbubnagar district had breached their banks.

Andhra Pradesh Minister for Revenue and Relief Dharmana Prasad Rao told reporters after a high-level meeting to review the situation that so far 15 people were killed in various rain-related incidents.

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has sanctioned Rs 1,00,000 as compensation to the families of those killed.

He has asked ministers and legislators from the area and senior officers to rush there to ensure speedy rescue and relief operations, the spokesperson said.

Most of the ministers were in Suttur, near Mysore, attending the last day of the three-day brain-storming session with senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leaders.

"The ministers were to return to Bangalore but have been asked to proceed to these places from Mysore itself," the spokesperson said.

He said no assessment has been made of the damage to property and crops.

Since late on Wednesday, it has been raining in Karnataka capital Bangalore too.

Several areas in the city received heavy showers on Thursday evening.