Karnataka rains: Crop loss of 6.3 lakh hectares estimated

Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka has said about 12,700 homes have been damaged and there are crop losses on 6.5 lakh hectares of land in North Karnataka due to the floods in October.

Bengaluru: The heavy rains in Karnataka over the last two months has led to a huge loss for the state.

Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka said about 12,700 homes have been damaged and there are crop losses on 6.5 lakh hectares of land in North Karnataka due to the floods in October.

According to the Revenue Minister, at present, 12 taluks and 247 villages have been affected by floods. “The current floods have resulted in 10 deaths and damages to 12,700 houses, crop loss is reported in 6.3 lakh hectare cultivated land due to flooding in Rivers Bhima, Krishna and their tributaries during the monsoon season in North Karnataka,” Ashoka said.

“Immediate assistance of Rs 127.93 crores is being released to all affected families from August to till date," the Revenue Minister added.

Earlier, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa had sought a special package of Rs 10,000 crore with the government having estimated losses exceeding Rs 21,500 crore in three spells of extreme rainfall in August, September, and October.

BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday said that around 43,000 people were evacuated after 247 villages in North Karnataka were inundated due to heavy rains and floods that took place last week.