Heavy Rains: Red Alert in South Karnataka

Bengaluru: The Indian Meteorological Department(IMD) announced a Red Alert on Thursday in the wake of heavy rains in Karnataka, including Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru and Dakshina Kannada districts.

Heavy rainfall is expected in the South Western Ghats, Kodagu, Chikkamagalur and coastal areas of Dakshina Kannada for the next two days, according to the weather bulletin released by IMD on Wednesday night.

All schools and colleges in Kodagu district have been shut and declared holiday until Saturday in the wake of heavy rains and landslides. Heavy rainfall is expected in the southern districts of Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Tumkur, Mandya, Mysore and Bangalore.

A total of 22 districts have been affected by heavy rains and floods, while the number of casualties has risen to 61 and 15 have been reported missing. Seven lakh people have been evacuated so far. As per the report, a total of 51,460 animals have been rescued.

Nearly 3.7 lakh people have lost their homes and have been rehabilitated in 1096 relief camps.