Rain subsides in Karnataka but flood threat looms large over Krishna basin

Rainfall subsided in the state on Friday, but flood threat looms large over parts of Belagavi with Krishna river and its tributaries receiving copious inflows from Maharashtra dams.

Torrential rains in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra have pushed up the water level in Krishna river by two feet. Heavy discharges from Rajapur Barrage in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra has swelled Krishna and its tributaries - Doodhganga, Vedganga and Panchaganga rivers. On Friday, 1,10,900 cusec of water was released into Krishna river at the Kallol-Yadur barrage.

 As many as eight bridge-cum-barrages in Chikkodi division are still under floodwaters. Datta Mandir at Narsinhwadi, Dattatreya temple at Kallol village, Bangali Baba temple at Karadaga and Mansur Peer Dargah at Examba are completely submerged. The swollen rivers have meandered their way to farmlands on their banks submerging sugarcane, soya, maize and other crops on thousands of acres.

More than 40 villages on the forest fringes of Kanakumbi, Jamboti and Hemmadaga in Khanapur taluk have remained in darkness due to the rain-triggered power outage. Rainfall subsided in Khanapur forests on Friday, but Malaprabha river and Bellary Nala have continued to unleash flood fury in the taluk.  

With rains refusing to cease at the catchment areas, the rivers in Krishna basin are expected to cause flooding in the villages and towns on the banks in a day or two. The reservoirs in the basin - Almatti (Krishna), Hidkal (Ghataprabha), Shirur (Markandeya) and Naviluthirtha (Malaprabha) - are clocking copious inflows. 

Almatti reservoir, the lifeline of Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Yadgir and Raichur districts, on Friday received 1,20,861 cusec. With the inflows likely to go further up, the dam authorities released 90,000 cusec downstream through all 26 crest gates. As on June 27, the dam has a storage of 84.096 tmcft against its maximum capacity of 123.08 tmcft.

The famed Gaganachukki Falls near Shivanasamudra in Mandya district comes alive following heavy discharges from KRS and Kabini reservoirs on Friday.

The Hidkal dam received more than four feet of water in a single day on Friday.

Tungabhadra reservoir near Hosapete clocked an inflow of 44,569 cusec on Friday, thanks to copious rain in its catchment in Shivamogga district.

Down south, Krishnaraja Sagara (KRS), the lifeline of Mandya, Mysuru and Bengaluru districts, will script a history by reaching its full capacity in June, the first month of monsoon.

The water level in the reservoir has reached 121 feet, three feet shy of FRL. The dam is expected to reach FRL by June 29, according to Cauvery Neeravari Nigama. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will offer bagina to the KRS on June 30.