M A I N   N E W S

Elsewhere, death toll touches 130
Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

Bangalore, June 24
Even as heavy rains lashed Karnataka and Maharashtra, leaving the states in a chaos and complete disarray, the situation improved in worst-affected Andhra Pradesh and Kerala as the death toll in these states mounted to 130.

Parts of Karnataka continued to be battered by the monsoon fury for the third consecutive today resulting in six deaths. With this, the rain-related toll increased to 39 in the state.

According to reports received here, three persons were washed away in flash floods following incessant rain in Doni in Belgaum district. In the same district, two persons were killed in Nabapur village due to a roof collapse. Another person was crushed to death following a wall collapse in Jevalagal village in the same district.

The district of Bijapur and Bagalkot have accounted for 14 deaths, while seven deaths have been reported from Raichur. Bangalore city, Coorg and Kasargod have also witnessed rain-related deaths. Belgaum in north Karnataka along with Bijapur, Gulbarga and Raichur continued to face torrential rainfall today.

A red alert has also been sounded in Udupi district where some rivers have crossed the danger mark.

The Karnataka government has directed all DCs in flood-affected areas to be ready to open relief centers in case they continued to receive rainfall. Deputy CM B S Yediyurappa, while briefing mediapersons today, said the government would also start rehabilitation work once the flood fury ceased.

Meanwhile, Mysore has been cut off from neighbouring Ooty in Tamil Nadu with hundreds of trees being uprooted along the Madhumalai and Bandipur wildlife sanctuaries.

The entire Nilgiri hills have been without power since the last two days due to the widespread snapping of electric wires.

Relief in AP

Hyderabad: After being battered by rains for two days, the people in the state today breathed a sigh of relief as floodwaters receded in coastal areas where 31 people were killed.

CM Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy undertook an aerial survey of the worst-affected Kurnool district in Rayalaseema region where several villages remained cut-off. The relief operations were in full swing as the situation showed improvement in Prakasam, Krishna, Guntur, East Godavari districts in the coastal belt, officials said.

The death toll in the heavy rains has now been officially put at 32. — PTI