Rain: Pune-Bengaluru highway closed due to waterlogging

Traffic movement on the Pune-Bengaluru national highway near Kognoli on the state’s borders with Maharashtra came to a halt with river Vedganga flooding about one kilometre stretch since early hours of Tuesday.

Road movement towards Ram Nagar in Uttara Kannada too stopped in Khanapur with river Malaprabha flooding the bridge on the outskirts of Khanapur town.

Water inflow into river Krishna and its tributaries increased by to over 3.25 lakh cusecs on Tuesday that further worsened the flood situation. Jugal and surrounding villages at the base of Hippargi barrage got marooned and boats were used to evacuate the residents to safety.

Nippani, Chikkodi, Athani, Raibag and Kagwad have been facing floods due to water release from Maharashtra while the downpour has been minimum in these taluks.

Heavy downpour continued for the second week in Belagavi, Khanapur and Bailhongal taluks. River Malaprabha in Khanapur is in spate and more than 20 roads and bridges in the forest areas have been closed including road connectivity towards Goa.

One person was killed on the spot at Hoskote village in Bailhongal taluk after roof of the house that had become fragile due to rains collapsed. He had been identified as Nagappa Madar (40).

Downpour also led in flooding of the old city and extension areas of Belagavi city and water clogging preventing movement of people outside the houses. Water had gushed in more than 200 houses in Shivaji Nagar, Veerbhadra Nagar, Shashtri Nagar, Samarth Nagar, Angol, Nanawadi, Maratha Colony, Swami Vivekanand Colony in the city and surrounding villages like Kangrali KH and Kadoli.