Rain toll climbs to 13 in Karnataka; CM reviews situation,

As parts of Karnataka faced a deluge for second time in two months and the toll since last week rose to 13, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday directed officials to immediately expedite relief work and not to shy away from duties citing Deepavali holidays.

The second spell of downpour since October 18 has claimed 13 lives besides damaging around 10,000 houses and rendering over 7,000 people homeless in 16 districts, including, Belagavi in north Karnatka which bore the brunt of the flood fury in August, according to latest official information.

Holding a video conference with the Deputy Commissioners of the 16 districts, most of them in north Karnataka, Yediyurappa took stock of the situation in the presence of Chief Secretary T M VijayBhaskar and other top officials.

"Unfortunately 13 people have died due to floods and about 10,038 houses have been damaged. The Chief Minister has issued instructions to provide compensation to the families ofthose deceased and for damaged houses immediately," the ChiefMinister's office said in a statement here.

Yediyurappa asked officials in the affected regions not to keep away from their duties, citing Deepavali holidays,and respond to the needs of the people hit by floods.

He instructed officials to speed up the rescue and relief work, itsaid, adding six teams of National Disaster Response Force and and one army coloumn wasoperational in affected regions.

A total of 28 relief camps have been opened and Yediyurappa asked officials to ensure all basic facilities andmedical help were provided there and also depute a district-level officer to each centre.

Noting that a total of Rs 1,027.54 crorewas available in the accounts of the district Deputy commissioners, he said therewas no shortage of funds for relief work. If there was need for additional funds, it would be released.

Another official release, quoting weather forecast, said north interior districts, including Belagavi, Bagalkot, Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Koppal, and Ballari, would receive scattered and moderate rains with heavy rains at isolated places in the next two days.

According to officials, the water level in dams in the sub-basin ofKrishna river and the Cauvery basin in Karnataka are at full reservoir level or close to the capacity and the discharge has been increased tokeep appropriate buffer.

More rains have been forecast in Upper Krishna catchment basin in Maharashtra in the next 2-3 days, they said the Met department has issued rain alerts for Coastal andMalnad Region of Karnatka for the next three days.

Releases from reservoirs were being well coordinated to prevent flooding in downstream area, they said, adding all necessary precautions were being taken and "the situation is under control."