As rains recede, last leg of rescue operations underway in Kodagu

As the rains in Kodagu have reduced significantly, the last leg of the rescue operation is underway. All rescue teams are on standby. Police will also launch drones in 24 hours in three police station limits to assess the damage and find any missing persons. “Nine people are missing so far,” said a statement from Kodagu DC office, on Tuesday.

District Administration is now concentrating on rehabilitation and relocation of families. They are identifying buildings that can accommodate over 4,000 people, who are currently in shelter homes.

“At least 3,500 people have been displaced and sheltered in 34 camps in Kodagu,” it said.

Meanwhile, lack of electricity and shortage of essential items remain a problem in several relief camps in the district. 

As around 3,800 poles are down in the district, many of these relief camps do not have electricity as well. Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Ltd. (CESC), Mysuru, has roped in 18 teams to restore electricity in remote areas of Kodagu.

“We are working from morning to night to restore the electric line in Kodagu. In Suntikoppa subdivision, we are hoping to finish our work today and restore electricity to Madapura Relief Camp. There are around 150-200 poles down in this area," Ramdas, junior engineer, CESC Mysuru, said.

Need non-perishable essentials urgently

Harish is busy segregating a fresh batch of relief materials that have arrived at the relief camp in Suntikoppa, around 15 km from Madikeri in Kodagu district of Karnataka. "The materials have arrived in abundance but we still need to arrange a few things," he calls out.

Suntikoppa, largely unaffected by the heavy rains lashing the district, had opened three public spaces in the town to set up relief camps - a hall associated with the Ram Mandir, St. Mary's Church and the Khatija Umma Madrasa.

People displaced from places such as Haleri, Katakeri and Paplikaad started filling the camps in this town as early as Thursday, after trekking through thick forests and coffee plantations in the area. The number of people who have arrived in the town has crossed 900 in the last four days. Volunteer groups have formed teams to go to Haleri and rescue others left behind.

But the growing numbers at the camps in Suntikoppa is beginning to worry Harish. "The people in this town have come together to donate ration, rice, groceries and other items, but we have not been able to provide hot water yet. A gas geyser or at least a big vessel to heat water will help us immensely," he says.

The flurry of activity in Suntikoppa is mirrored in the relief camp in Madapura, around 10 km away. "I don't have space to store the relief material arriving at the camp. We really don't want any more biscuits, bread or Maggi. They are perishable. We would gladly accept donations like slippers, torches, warm clothes, women's innerwear," says Bopanna, who is coordinating relief at the camp. In Madapura, over 450 people have arrived from places like Mukkodlu and Hattihole.