Tumkur, Nov 11 (DHNS): Four people from the State, including a Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) leader from Turuvekere in Tumkur district, have been stranded in the Philippines, which has been hit by typhoon Haiyan.

Masala Jayaram, the KJP candidate who had lost the last Assembly elections from the Turuvekere constituency against Janata Dal-Secular nominee M T Krishnappa, is stranded at a hotel at Tacloban, Jayaram’s gunman Akbar told Deccan Herald over the phone from Bangalore. Jayaram runs the Teju Masala company in Bangalore, and is from Nettikere in the Gubbi taluk of Tumkur district.

Jayaram’s family had been trying for the past couple of days to contact him over phone, but in vain. They established contact on Sunday morning, but the call got disconnected before his family could speak to him.  

The businessman had been to the Philippines on a trip a few days ago and had called home once to tell his family about the natural disaster gripping the island nation.

Jayaram is stranded on the third floor room of the hotel, with power and water connections being cut off. With no food available, there is chaos all around, he is said to have told his family two days ago. Akbar, quoting the businessman, said that the hotel is inundated with bodies floating in the water.

It is said that three others from the State are also stuck in the Philippines.