Bengaluru, Aug 20 (PTI) Incessant rains battered several parts of Karnataka on Wednesday, damaging crops, disrupting road connectivity, and prompting precautionary evacuations, even as major reservoirs
neared full capacity.
Heavy downpour continued in Dharwad, Gadag, Davangere, Haveri and Uttara Kannada, damaging houses and farmland. Officials said people were moved to relief centres in some areas as a precaution.
Due to heavy inflows from upstream Maharashtra, water levels in the Krishna River have risen, officials said. Following the release of 1.60 lakh cusecs from the Narayanpur reservoir, the Sheelhalli bridge was submerged, cutting off road connectivity. Villages along the riverbank are now under “flood threat,” they added.
With the Sheelhalli–Hanchinal bridge underwater, road access has been cut off to riverbank villages, including Kaddaragaddi, Yarigodi and Hanchinal. Villagers are now forced to take a 45-km detour via Jaladurga to reach the taluk headquarters, officials added.
Videos surfaced online showing men washing bikes on the submerged Sheelhalli bridge, despite high-alert warnings and directions from the district administration not to enter the swollen Krishna river, which is flowing above the 'danger' mark.
Owing to heavy rain in the Western Ghats region of Maharashtra, a 'flood threat' also looms along the banks of the Krishna and Bhima rivers, with large volumes of water released into both rivers.
All 30 gates of the Basavasagar dam have been opened due to heavy inflows, while 17 gates of the Gurusanagi Barrage in Yadgir district have also been lifted, officials said.
In Belagavi, heavy rains lashed the Malaprabha river basin. A video emerged of a biker attempting to cross a flooded bridge over the river. He was seen being swept away along with his vehicle, but managed to escape narrowly, even as locals were heard warning him not to attempt the risky crossing.
In Bidar, water entered the sanctum of the Anantha Padmanabha temple. BJP MLA Sharanu Salagar told the Assembly that extreme rainfall this year had devastated farmers. Crops across 1.21 lakh hectares, including toor dal (togari), black gram and soybean, have been destroyed, and many cattle deaths have also been reported, he said.
“Potholes in Bengaluru make big news, but not the plight of farmers who are suffering due to crop loss. Please visit Basavakalyan in Bidar to see their suffering. Farmers deserve at least Rs 25,000 as relief. They have paid insurance premiums but are not receiving compensation. A committee should be formed to assess crop loss and provide relief accordingly,” Salagar demanded.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast widespread rainfall across Karnataka over the next seven days, with heavy showers expected in coastal and northern interior districts.
On Wednesday, heavy rainfall was forecast at one or two places in Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts, while most parts of Dakshina Kannada were expected to receive light to moderate showers.
In the north interior region, Belagavi may see heavy rainfall with winds of 30-40 kmph, while Bagalkot, Bidar, Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, Yadgir and Dharwad could experience light to moderate rain.
Southern districts, including Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Tumakuru, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Hassan, and Mandya, are also likely to witness light to moderate rainfall with winds of 30-40 kmph.
The IMD further said coastal and interior parts of Karnataka will continue to receive rain till August 25.
On August 26, heavy showers are likely in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts, while Bidar, Kalaburagi and Yadgir may see thunderstorms with gusty winds of 40-50 kmph.
For Bengaluru, the IMD forecasts a generally cloudy sky with light rain over the next 24-48 hours. Winds are likely at 40-50 kmph, while maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to be around 27-28 degrees Celsius and 19-20 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Several reservoirs across the state are nearing full capacity. As of Wednesday, water storage levels stood at 123.08 TMC in Almatti dam (capacity 123.08 TMC), 76.91 TMC in Tungabhadra (105.79 TMC), 47.73 TMC in KRS (49.45 TMC), and 33.31 TMC in Narayanapura (33.31 TMC), according to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre. PTI COR AMP GMS SSK
