The Centre has released ₹128 crore for flood relief works in Karnataka, according to DV Sadananda Gowda, Union Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister.

Reviewing the flood situation and rehabilitation works in Mangaluru on Friday, he said Karnataka will get ₹128 crore from the State Disaster Response Fund to take up relief works. Large areas, including the districts in the northern, coastal and Malnad areas, are facing flood in the wake of incessant rains for the past few days.

Gowda, who reviewed the relief operations in Kodagu earlier in the day, said more than 3,000 people in the district have been shifted to safer locations.

Urging the officials to be proactive in tackling the flood situation, he said the communication networks play a major role during the time of crisis. He said two senior officials of BSNL in Kodagu have been recommended for suspension as they did not take steps to maintain the communication network during the floods. Many telecom towers did not operate during the crisis. The officials’ excuse for this was lack of power connectivity . He said the district administrations can support the department to buy diesel to operate the towers during the crisis.

The officials should take such proactive steps to maintain the communication network, he said.

Sasikanth Senthil, Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada, said that River Nethravathi in Dakshina Kannada district is in spate since Thursday night. Water level in the river has been increasing steadily in places such as Uppinangady and Belthangady in the district.

More than 380 people in the low-lying areas are being shifted to the safer places in the district. He said that the roads on Charmady and Shirady ghats have been closed following after due to the incidents of landslips on those stretches. Only the Sampaje ghat is operational for light motor vehicles and passenger buses as of now.

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