Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddharamaiah visited rain and landslide affected areas in Kodagu district today. With rehabilitaton work in full swing in rain-ravaged Kodagu, the Karnataka government said all efforts would be made to restore normalcy at the earliest in the district where torrential rains that lashed the district last week have claimed 12 lives.


Social Welfare Minister Priyank Kharge announced Rs 25 crore aid towards relief measures.


"The social welfare ministry has reserved a care  package of Rs 25 crore. We hope this will address immediate needs. The road to recovery will be hard and long, but we will try restore normalcy sooner than later," he said in a statement.


Thousands have been rendered homeless in the rains that left a trail of destruction. Several houses were inundated and people affected. The government is making every effort to rescue and provide relief to those marooned, Kharge said.


He directed officials of the social welfare department to tour the district and assess the damage caused by the unprecedented rains.


"The department will survey and take immediate action as soon as the rains subside, " he said.The National Disaster Response Force personnel are working in in tandem with the state government to carry out relief operations. Police personnel have also been engaged, he added.


Repair on roads was going on in full swing at Jodupala and surrounding areas bordering Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu districts, which had been  severely hit by flash floods and landslides last week.


Fire and rescue service personnel, police, forest department staff and volunteers are carrying out rescue operations at Jodupala. Earthmovers have been engaged to remove huge boulders blocking the highway, Puttur assistant commissioner Krishnamurthy said.


An official release said NGOs and members of the local community in Kodagu are also involved in rescue operations, which has so far saved 4,450 people.


As many as 70 earthmovers have been deployed to clear debris and 20 four-wheel drive vehicles deployed for quick movement of rescue teams, it said. Two doctors with paramedics are posted in every relief camp, where hygiene was being monitored by health inspectors to prevent any outbreak of disease, the release said.


For restoration and rehabilitation, a three member team from NGRI (National Geophysical Research Institute) visited Kodagu and set up a seismic monitoring center at a school to closely monitor seismic activity there, the release said. -- PTI