Flood claims two lives in North Karnataka

Belgaum district

Sufiyaan Peerzade (12) was allegedly drowned in the Ghataprabha left bank canal at
Hirekudi in Chikodi taluk on September 5. His body was found the next day.
According to Deputy Commissioner Dr Ekroop Kaur, the child’s death was not due to floods. Since, water had been released in the canal for irrigation, the incident cannot be construed as flood-related death, she said.

On Thursday, water inflow into River Krishna from Rajapur barrage in Maharashtra, reduced to 1.63 lakh cusec. Release of water from the Koyna dam increased to 48,438 cusec on Thursday, while water discharge from Warana, Kaner, Dhoom, Rajaram and Doodhganga dams came down considerably, with the inflow reducing to 63,000 cusec. Roads, bridges and barrages remained submerged in the district.

The Gotur and Paschapur-Ingali bridges in Hukkeri were opened for traffic, after water level in River Hiranyakeshi receded. A total of 62 houses have collapsed due to heavy rain, raising the total number of houses damaged  so far to 311.

Bijapur district

Sangappa Mallikarjun Gani (35), of Kolhar village drowned while he was taking bath in River Krishna, in Basavana Bagewadi taluk. The incident took place on Monday and it came to light only on Tuesday, when the body was caught in the fishing net of Jagadevappa Katabar. A case has been registered at the Kolhar police station.

Yadgir district

On Thursday morning, 3.30 lakh cusec of water was released from Narayanpur dam into the river. The officers of Krishna Bhayga Jala Nigama said that by evening, it was reduced to 2.50 lakh cusec of water. The bridge on Shahpur-Deodurga State Highway, near Kollur M is submerged. Traffic on the State Highway came to a halt on Thursday too. The flow of water from Almatti dam also declined by Thursday afternoon. The fields near River Thinthani have been inundated and no loss to life have been reported so far.

Bagalkot district

Floods in Rivers Krishna and Ghataprabha are receding, while flood threat in River Malaprabha looms large. Due to rise in the water level in River Malaprabha since Thursday morning, the bridge near Govinakoppa is submerged. With this, the Hubli-Solapur 218 National Highway remains cut-off. Vehicles plying on this route, are plying via Gadag and Ramdurg routes. Crops including jowar, sugarcane and sunflower cultivated in 45 villages of Badami taluk, are inundated. The residents in the downstream of River Malaprabha have been warned to shift to safer places. As many as 22 villages located near the Almatti dam, of Bagalkot and Hungund taluks, are inundated.

Thousands of acres of sugarcane, maize, onion, millet and several other crops are damaged. The residents along the riverside have been warned not to wash clothes near the river or venture into the river. Fishermen have been warned to stay away. The flood in River Ghataprabha in Mudhol taluk is also declining.