Date:27/07/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/07/27/stories/2005072706910300.htm

Karnataka - Belgaum

Girl dies in wall collapse

Staff Correspondent

Fourth death on account of rain in Belgaum district

BELGAUM: A six-year-old girl Noorjahan, daughter of Jaansab Hawaldar, died on the spot when she came under a wall which collapsed owing to incessant rainfall in Nippani on Tuesday.

This is the fourth death on account of rains in the district. Two persons drowned in the Markandeya and a girl died in a house collapse in Belgaum a fortnight ago.

Three persons were injured in a house collapse in Hindalga near here on Tuesday while an old woman was injured in a similar incident in Nesargi town.

Meanwhile, reports reaching the district headquarters said 20 villages have been fully or partially marooned in the floodwaters.

The district administration has sent teams to shift the villagers to safer places and is arranging food and medical aid for them. Twelve houses have collapsed in Uchagaon owing to incessant rains.

Washed away

Our Karwar Correspondent reports:

The Varada near Banavasi is in spate following heavy rain in the past two days.

According to reports, a person was washed away in the river on Tuesday.

Heavy rainfall has also been reported in the catchment areas of the Supa reservoir. The Kadra and Kodsalli hydro-electricity projects with a generating capacity of 150 Mw and 120 Mw, respectively, are generating power to their maximum capacity, it is said.

The water level at the Sharavati tail race project at Gerasoppa stood at 54 ft as against the full level of 56 ft.

The project, with a generating capacity of 240 Mw, has been functioning at its optimal level. People living downstream of Geresoppa have been cautioned by the Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. that water may be released any time from the reservoir.

Landslip

A landslip at Baloor Urtot in Hasargod Gram Panchayat limits damaged four houses on Monday night.

The loss of property has been estimated at Rs. 1.6 lakh. No casualty was reported.

Check dam breaches

In Siddapur, a check dam at Adkalli breached, causing losses worth Rs. 20,000.

While the wall of a house owned by Mamata Govind Nayak collapsed at Bilagi, a tree fell on the house of Laxmi Narayan Naik at Sovinkoppa.

In Sirsi, those living in Mogavalli near Banavasi are in a dilemma as the water level is slowly rising in the Varada. The tashildar, M.V. Kallurmath, visited the village. Arrangements have been made to shift the villagers to a safe spot.

Rains also destroyed the tank bund of the Rangappan lake in Badangod Gram Panchayat. It is said that paddy grown in hundreds of acres might be destroyed if repair works are not taken up immediately.

According to reports, Sirsi received 191 mm rainfall in the past three days.