Nearly 44,000 people have so far been evacuated from flood-hit and rain-affected areas of Karnataka, where the rain fury has left nine people dead in the past few days, as authorities on Thursday intensified the rescue and relief operations.
The worst-hit was Belagavi district, where six people have lost their lives while 40,180 people have been evacuated by rescue teams comprising Fire and Emergency department, state Disaster Response Force, National Disaster Response Force and Army, official sources said.
Two people died in rain-related incidents in Uttara Kannada district, from where 3,088 people have been shifted to safety till date, and one in Shivamogga, according to official figures.
Nearly 17,000 people are taking shelter in relief camps.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, camping in Belagavi supervising the relief and rescue operations, appealed to the people to donate generously saying that at least Rs 5,000 crore would be required for relief and rehabilitation operations.
The Infosys Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the tech giant Infosys, volunteered to donate Rs 10 crore.
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"I appeal to donors with folded hands that we are in a peculiar situation. Please donate generously," the chief minister said addressing reporters after inspecting the flood ravaged areas in Belagavi in north Karantaka.
He said at least 30,000 houses were required to be built, adding, there was no dearth of resources to carry out our relief operations.
Yediyurappa also said four teams of public representatives have been formed to supervise relief operations in different flood and rain-affected areas.
The Belagavi team would be headed by him and Union Minister of State for Railway Suresh Angadi whereas former chief minister Jagadish Shettar would lead the Dharwad team.
K S Eshwarappa would head the Shivamogga team while Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje would head the coastal team, he said.
He also said at least five lakh cusecs of water would be released from Koyna Dam due to the grim flood situation in Maharashtra.
Yediyurappa also visited several flood-hit areas of Belagavi and adjoining districts.
In Belagavi town, basement of many residential and commercial complexes were filled with waist deep water causing power shut-down. Many vehicles were submerged.
Roads virtually resembled rivers while there was no power in several parts of the city.
Severe drinking water crisis has also been reported in many parts of the district as water gushed into Hidalkal and Rakaskop dam pump house, the two sources of water supply in the city.
The district administration has declared holiday for schools and colleges till August 10.
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress and the JD(S) targeted the BJP government on the issue of tackling the flood situation.
"You (BJP) could arrange special aeroplane to ferry disgruntled MLAs (of Congress and the JDS) to Mumbai but you could not arrange a helicopter for the poor people dying due to flood," the Janata Dal (Secular) tweeted.
The party charged, "Do you get sadistic pleasure by seeing lakhs of people in distress? Is this why you toppled a perfectly functioning govt? To see people suffer? Shame on you!"