Karnataka floods: In a dramatic operation, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rescued two priests and their families from flood water in Bellary district in Karnataka. These priests were trapped inside a temple due to the flood caused by incessant rains in the southern state.
Even though, parts of Bengaluru that were battered by torrential rains for the last couple of days appeared to be slowly returning to normalcy with floodwaters receding in some areas, heavy to very heavy rainfall is predicted over a few places in coastal and south interior Karnataka on September 8-9 and interior Karnataka on September 9-10.
The rescue mission
According to reports, an SDRF boat capsized during a rescue operation on the Vedavati river which is flowing above the danger mark due to heavy rains in Sirguppa Taluka of Ballari district. There is a big temple of Lord Shani on the banks of this river in the Bilgundi area where two priests and their families were trapped. While the SDRF jawans were nearing the temple for the rescue mission, their boat capsized due to the increase in water current.
The SDRF jawans somehow saved themselves by grabbing the branches of the tree, after which with the help of another boat, 4 SDRF jawans and two priests trapped in the temple and their family members were safely rescued from there and brought to the shore.
In August, Bengaluru received 370 mm of rainfall, a little short of the all-time record of 387.1 mm of rainfall in August 1998.
