Over 2 lakh persons have been evacuated to safer places due to the floods that have wreaked havoc in five districts of Western Maharashtra, the worst hit being the districts of Sangli and Kolhapur. At least nine persons drowned in Sangli district when a rescue boat capsized. The region is being pounded by rains incessantly over the last few days. In Karnataka, nearly 44,000 people have been evacuated from flood-hit and rain-affected areas. The worst-hit was Belagavi district, where six people have lost their lives while 40,180 people have been evacuated by rescue teams comprising Fire and Emergency department, state Disaster Response Force, National Disaster Response Force and Army. Two people died in rain-related incidents in Uttara Kannada district, from where 3,088 people have been shifted to safety till date, and one in Shivamogga, according to official figures. Nearly 17,000 people are taking shelter in relief camps.