Karnataka: Villages washed away

Bellary: After a flood, there was sunshine in north Karnataka on Sunday. And a hope that receding waters would ease the situation in the area. But for too many people life has already been totally disrupted.

The roads of north Karnataka are less than adequate at the best of times; and these are not the best of times. It took NDTV almost two hours to travel the roughly 40-km distance from Bellary to Suggenahalli village close to the Tungabhadra river.

This village was one of the many where houses were totally destroyed, many washed away.

"My house is that side; it is totally destroyed. Everything is lost. I have this banyan and this lungi. The water just came; we ran with our children. We are living in a shelter," said Raja Saab, a survivor.

The village has no power now and the people used the availability of our ob van to charge their phones.

Elsewhere in north Karnataka, Air Force helicopters were in action, dropping relief supplies, and more help is on its way.

"The fact that the water is receding is a good sign, but clearly there is a long way to go before life can return to normal," said Sharanabasappa, Deputy Director, Food Department, Dharwad.