KODAGU FLOODS - THOUSANDS DISPLACED - KARNATAKA
BACKGROUND
'Kodagu' is an administrative district in Karnataka, India.
Heavy downpour in the district has caused the flooding.12 people dead and more than 4000 displaced. This is per the initial figures till yet.
Due to this 'Kodagu' District is fully impacted economically.
Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy.
Kodagu District is at south point of Karanataka State.
There is a Wild Life Sanctuary & Tiger Reserve in Kodagu.
Brahmagiri wildlife sanctuary in Kodagu District in Karnataka state and is part of the Western Ghats.
Nagarhole National Park is a national park located in Kodagu district and Mysore district in Karnataka state in South India. It is one of India's premier Tiger Reserves.
Cauvery (Kaveri) River Originates in the foothills of Western Ghats at Talakaveri, Kodagu in Karnataka it flows generally south and east through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and then emptying into the Bay of Bengal.
Once known for serene hilly landscapes, eye-catching coffee estates and its sacred groves, Kodagu is now in ruins.
LANDSLIDES AND FLOODS
One of the smallest districts in Karnataka, where the River Cauvery originates from, the entire district is now reeling from the disaster caused by rains, multiple landslides and incessant flooding.
A LOT OF RAIN, SERIOUSLY !
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD):
Kodagu has received a total of 2732.5 mm rainfall since June this year.
This is double the annual average rainfall during the monsoon which is pegged at 1738 mm.
The Last time such a disaster was witnessed in the state was in 1961.
Due to high rainfall, water level increases in Kaveri River & it's tributaries, and water enters into the area where people live.
But, Not Only the rain, there are many other man-made factors which caused this havoc like, Deforestation, Illegal sand mining and destruction of safety ridges.
ILLEGAL SAND MINING AND DESTRUCTION OF SAFETY RIDGES
According to rescuers who were part of the District Disaster Management Team, which was engaged in carrying out rescue operations, the landslides occurred in areas where sand mining had weakened the ridges which kept rain water at bay.
There are several ridges along the buffer zone of River Cauvery where illegal sand mining has been going on. Now a days several ridges are not there and water get overflow and lot of people suffer because of it.
This has made the embankments weak and they were unable to withstand the heavy water flow when the river swelled up.
Areas like Kudumangalore (near Harangi Dam), Hattihole and Mukkodlu were the worst hit.
Harangi River is the tributary of Kaveri River.
The embankments were weakened by illegal sand mining and they broke loose, which resulted in flooding.
A ridge or a mountain ridge is a geological feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for some distance
RAMPANT DEFORESTATION FOR TOURISM AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
In 2014, over 50,000 trees were chopped off to construct a power-line between Karnataka and Kozhikode.
Now, the government is planning to chop off lakhs of trees for construction of multi-lane highways.
Apart from this, over the past few years, many trees on the hillslopes and forest areas were cut to construct homestays, resorts and jungle lodges.
Apart from this, there is also the problem of timber smugglers and over the years, they have destroyed Kodagu’s landscape.
Despite efforts of local activists to stop the deforestation activities, the government has turned a blind eye.
FUTURE PLANS
In the 2030 master-plan for Kodagu, the government has suggested that Madikeri town be expanded to three times its size.
This will come at a high cost of deforestation.
Currently, the reason for the landslides is because of the rampant terracing of hillslopes by cutting trees.
If more trees disappear, there will be nothing to act as a barrier for soil erosion and it will lead to more flooding and more landslides every time it rains.
Landslides of such a magnitude have never occurred in Kodagu and it is for the first time that the district is reeling under widespread devastation.
Over 2,000 acres have literally been reduced to mounds of mud and slush. [which is a very large number]
Kodagu Economy primarily dependent on Agriculture primarily Coffee Beans. An due to this landslide, Coffee agriculture almost destroyed, and it's difficult to rebuilt the economy.
For more information, you can access below links:
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/kodagu-distress-how-rampant-deforestation-and-tourism-led-landslides-and-floods-86924
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/nimhans-specialists-provide-mental-health-support-those-affected-floods-87089
https://starofmysore.com/isro-team-to-study-landslides-in-kodagu/
Above Information is as per as per data available in news till the date when I am posting this.
For Other Topics visit - http://learn2ogether.blogspot.com/
'Kodagu' is an administrative district in Karnataka, India.
Heavy downpour in the district has caused the flooding.12 people dead and more than 4000 displaced. This is per the initial figures till yet.
Due to this 'Kodagu' District is fully impacted economically.
Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy.
Kodagu District is at south point of Karanataka State.
There is a Wild Life Sanctuary & Tiger Reserve in Kodagu.
Brahmagiri wildlife sanctuary in Kodagu District in Karnataka state and is part of the Western Ghats.
Nagarhole National Park is a national park located in Kodagu district and Mysore district in Karnataka state in South India. It is one of India's premier Tiger Reserves.
Cauvery (Kaveri) River Originates in the foothills of Western Ghats at Talakaveri, Kodagu in Karnataka it flows generally south and east through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and then emptying into the Bay of Bengal.
Once known for serene hilly landscapes, eye-catching coffee estates and its sacred groves, Kodagu is now in ruins.
LANDSLIDES AND FLOODS
One of the smallest districts in Karnataka, where the River Cauvery originates from, the entire district is now reeling from the disaster caused by rains, multiple landslides and incessant flooding.
A LOT OF RAIN, SERIOUSLY !
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD):
Kodagu has received a total of 2732.5 mm rainfall since June this year.
This is double the annual average rainfall during the monsoon which is pegged at 1738 mm.
The Last time such a disaster was witnessed in the state was in 1961.
Due to high rainfall, water level increases in Kaveri River & it's tributaries, and water enters into the area where people live.
But, Not Only the rain, there are many other man-made factors which caused this havoc like, Deforestation, Illegal sand mining and destruction of safety ridges.
ILLEGAL SAND MINING AND DESTRUCTION OF SAFETY RIDGES
According to rescuers who were part of the District Disaster Management Team, which was engaged in carrying out rescue operations, the landslides occurred in areas where sand mining had weakened the ridges which kept rain water at bay.
There are several ridges along the buffer zone of River Cauvery where illegal sand mining has been going on. Now a days several ridges are not there and water get overflow and lot of people suffer because of it.
This has made the embankments weak and they were unable to withstand the heavy water flow when the river swelled up.
Areas like Kudumangalore (near Harangi Dam), Hattihole and Mukkodlu were the worst hit.
Harangi River is the tributary of Kaveri River.
The embankments were weakened by illegal sand mining and they broke loose, which resulted in flooding.
A ridge or a mountain ridge is a geological feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for some distance
RAMPANT DEFORESTATION FOR TOURISM AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
In 2014, over 50,000 trees were chopped off to construct a power-line between Karnataka and Kozhikode.
Now, the government is planning to chop off lakhs of trees for construction of multi-lane highways.
Apart from this, over the past few years, many trees on the hillslopes and forest areas were cut to construct homestays, resorts and jungle lodges.
Apart from this, there is also the problem of timber smugglers and over the years, they have destroyed Kodagu’s landscape.
Despite efforts of local activists to stop the deforestation activities, the government has turned a blind eye.
FUTURE PLANS
In the 2030 master-plan for Kodagu, the government has suggested that Madikeri town be expanded to three times its size.
This will come at a high cost of deforestation.
Currently, the reason for the landslides is because of the rampant terracing of hillslopes by cutting trees.
If more trees disappear, there will be nothing to act as a barrier for soil erosion and it will lead to more flooding and more landslides every time it rains.
ISRO team to study landslides in Kodagu
A team from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is scheduled to reach Kodagu today to study the massive landslides that has ravaged the district.Landslides of such a magnitude have never occurred in Kodagu and it is for the first time that the district is reeling under widespread devastation.
Over 2,000 acres have literally been reduced to mounds of mud and slush. [which is a very large number]
Kodagu Economy primarily dependent on Agriculture primarily Coffee Beans. An due to this landslide, Coffee agriculture almost destroyed, and it's difficult to rebuilt the economy.
For more information, you can access below links:
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/kodagu-distress-how-rampant-deforestation-and-tourism-led-landslides-and-floods-86924
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/nimhans-specialists-provide-mental-health-support-those-affected-floods-87089
https://starofmysore.com/isro-team-to-study-landslides-in-kodagu/
Above Information is as per as per data available in news till the date when I am posting this.
For Other Topics visit - http://learn2ogether.blogspot.com/
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