North Karnataka Floods Relief
The Predicament
What was the impact of the August 2019 Floods?
Widespread continuous heavy rainfall over northern Karnataka districts in August 2019 impacted the region resulting in floods. These floods led to human loss, livestock loss, landslips, waterlogging, livelihood losses, property damage, agricultural damage and damage to essential infrastructure (Roads, Water Supply, and Electricity etc.). This calamity affected about seven hundred thousand people in the region. Rescue and relief efforts were undertaken in the flood-affected Districts with the help of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Nation Disaster Response Forces, State Disaster Relief Forces, District Administration, various civil society organisations and local people.
How affected was the state of Karnataka as the result of the flood?
As per the official data released by the State Government of Karnataka due to North Karnataka Floods 2019, the damage assessed that a total of 61 people lost their lives, 15 people were missing. The farmers had lost not less than 859 livestock. A total of 697,948 people were evacuated to rescue from the water, whereas 51,460 animals were also evacuated. A total of 1,160 Relief Camps were set up to cater for the immediate needs of the people evacuated from floods. A total of 396,617 people across Northern Karnataka were sheltered in the temporary relief camps. More than 56,381 houses collapsed or were severely damaged. It was also estimated that more than 0.458 million hectares of agriculture and horticulture cross occurred permanent loss.
Due to the heavy water discharge from the Maharashtra reservoirs, the North Karnataka districts of Belagavi, Bijapur, Raichur, Kalburgi, Yadgir and Uttara Kannada were severely affected by the flood discharge. In the month of August 2019, these districts received nearly six times the rainfall they normally used to have. Though altogether 22 districts in Karnataka were affected by floods, Belgaum and Bagalkote districts were the worst affected by this natural calamity. In these districts themselves, a total of 512 villages and more than 240,000 people were evacuated. Many of the schools in this area were converted to rescue centres, and schools were declared holidays for almost a month.
The Solution
SEVAK – Society for Empowerment through Voluntary Action in Karnataka and Amma Foundation in Belgaum districts and Chaitanya Mahila Sangha, Mudhol in Bagalkote districts are the participating organisations to implement the Floods response project in these two districts.
A total of 1350 children who are severely affected by the natural calamity of floods and who have lost their schooling materials were obtained through this action. The hope among the children who underwent the traumatic experience were in a state of confusion. The smooth continuation of their schooling gave children inculcated hope. It was a great relief for the family when they saw a smile on their wards. The family’s economic burden was reduced.
Be a part of the beacon of hope
Karnataka has seen a lot of these kinds of floods over the years. The livelihood of people was affected. Property loss, employment loss, education hindrance and the worst – loss of lives are due to these floods. They affect the emotional health as much as they do physically, more so in children. Our flood relief program is intended to help families and individuals to get back with their life after the flood and disaster of this sort. Join us and be a part of this important mission to help the flood drawn people and influence them to restore their livelihoods.
About Us
S E V A K stands for Society for Empowerment through Voluntary Action in Karnataka. S E V A K was founded in the year 2009 as a registered society registered under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act, 1960 in Belgaum district, Belgaum.
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