Bengaluru, Dec 14 (IANS): An inter-ministerial central team arrived here to assess the damage and loss caused by floods in Karnataka after heavy rains in September-October for relief aid, an official said on Sunday.

"The team led by G. Ramesh Kumar met state Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol and officials for a briefing on the situation in the flood-hit districts ahead of their visit to the spots for first-hand assessment from Monday," a state revenue official told IANS here.

The Central government has released RS 578 crore from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) in November for relief and rehab in coastal and northwest regions of the state where heavy monsoon rains and floods in August caused damage and loss to the affected people.

"As the monsoon was not only in excess, but also extended till October, about 20 of the 30 districts across the southern state were affected due to heavy rains and flash floods caused by discharge of water from dams across Krishna and Bhima rivers in the state and Maharashtra," recalled the official.

Floods and landslides damaged crops in 16-lakh hectare, 34,794 houses and infrastructure, causing an estimated loss of Rs 15,410 crore to the state.

"The state government has disbursed Rs 552 crore as input subsidy to 7.12-lakh farmers in the affected districts," noted the official.

The state government has also committed to spend Rs 1,321 crore for relief, repair and reconstruction from the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF).

"We are providing Rs 5 lakh to victims of fully damaged houses, Rs 3 lakh for severely damaged houses and Rs 50,000 to partially damaged houses at a cost of Rs 465 crore," added the official.

The team will visit Belagavi, Vijayapura and Kalaburagi districts in the state's northwest and northern regions and Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts in the coastal area on Monday and Tuesday to assess the damage.

Bagalokote, Ballari, Belagavi, Bidar, Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Hubballi, Kalaburagi, Koppal, Raichur and Yadgir in the state's north and northwest regions were the worst affected by the incessant rains and flash floods.

Rural infrastructure, including roads, bridges, state highways, electric poles, telephone lines and houses were destroyed or damaged in the natural disaster.