Crops damaged, lives lost as showers pound several districts

Heavy rains were reported from across the state on Monday.

A 64-year-old farmer was struck dead by lightning at a farm in Nargund taluk of Gadag district. The deceased is Devendragouda Rajendragouda, 64.

A maize field was inundated near Govanakoppa in Badami taluk, Bagalkot district. There has been a flood in the district following heavy downpour in the catchment areas of River Malaprabha. The Krishna, Ghataprabha and Malaprabha rivers received heavy inflow due to showers in the catchment areas of Belagavi and Bagalkot districts as also Maharashtra.

The Govanakoppa-Konnur bridge, connecting Gadag and Bagalkot districts, has been submerged. The Krishna river has been overflowing in Jamakhandi taluk, Bagalkot district. The water level in Hipparagi barrage was 521.5 metres against the maximum level of 525 metres.

Overnight torrential rains that lashed Davangere city on Sunday night wreaked havoc in various parts of Davangere, leading to waterlogging on the streets. Davangere city received rain for a few minutes on Monday evening also.

Over 1,000 houses collapsed partially in low-lying areas and old Davangere residenital area.

The heavy rain caused serious damage to standing crops in other parts of the district. Standing crops on 625 acres have been damaged. Deputy Commissioner D S Ramesh and other officials visited the rain-affected places in the city on Monday and ordered opening of gruel centres in Chikkanahalli, Neelammanathota and Bharath Colony.

In neighbouring Chitradurga district, rain accompanied by gusty winds lashed several villages on Sunday night. The rain brought both joy and misery to farmers.

Nargund in Gadag district received heavy rain for around three hours on Sunday night. Rainwater gushed into several low-lying areas and residents spent the night draining out water. Mundaragi, Lakshmeshwar and Shirahatti taluks too received good rain.

Brisk rain lashed Dharwad for the second day on Monday. The showers lashed for an hour from 4 pm.

A 55-year-old man was killed and three others sustained injuries after they were struck by lightning at Basavapura village in Shivamogga taluk on Monday.

The deceased has been identified as Thimmappa (55). The victims had taken their cattle to the field for grazing. When it started raining heavily, the four farmers rushed towards a tree to protect themselves from rain, when lightning struck them. Heavy rain lashed Shivamogga city for more than an hour in the afternoon. Houses in low-lying areas were flooded. Roads in the city were waterlogged. Sagar, Bhadravathi, Thirthahalli in Shivamogga district received moderate rain.

Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar and parts of Hassan district received moderate to heavy rains on Sunday night. The showers continued till Monday morning.

Though the day was warm in Mysuru city, rains returned on Monday evening, disappointing the tourists, especially the youth who had gathered at the Maharaja’s College Grounds to enjoy Yuva Dasara programmes.

In Mandya district, a portion of Srirangapatna fort near the town municipal council office, collapsed due to heavy rain. Around 30 meters of the wall has been damaged. The Lokapavani river is in spate, inundating agricultural lands. The cultural programmes that were being held as part of Srirangapatna Dasara were affected for a while on Sunday.

The railway underbridge at Doddabyadarahalli in Pandavapura taluk of Mandya district was waterlogged. There were reports of house collapse. however there were no causalities. Traffic jam was reported on the Mysuru-Nagamangala road as a huge tree was uprooted. Vehicles were stranded for more than one kilometre.

Heavy rain lashed Hanur in Chamarajanagar district, on Sunday night. Channarayapatna in Hassan district received the highest of 150 mm rains on Sunday night.