Kabini fills up faster than ever, Kodagu drowns in heavy rains

Mysuru: Following good rains in Wyanad in Kerala and in other Cauvery catchment areas, the inflow into reservoirs in the Cauvery basin has increased drastically with the Kabini reservoir becoming the first reservoir in the state to fill up completely this year on Thursday.

The authorities at Kabini released 15,000 cusecs of water into the river and have also issued a flood alert to people living on the banks of the river especially in low lying areas.

According to engineers at Kabini, the reservoir had not reached its maximum level this early in the middle of June in the past one decade. In the recent past in 2015, it had reached its maximum level on June 27.  No programme has been scheduled yet for the Chief Minister to perform the customary Bagina at the river as a thanksgiving gesture, they said.

Meanwhile heavy rains continued to lash Kodagu claiming one life. The district administration declared a holiday for schools and colleges on Thursday with the rains affecting power supply and several areas  flooded while landslides have affected road connectivity. With Thithimathi bridge in Virajpet collapsing, the connectivity between Virajpet and Hunsur and Mysuru was hit. Several other places also lost connectivity with the hanging bridge in Pojagal collapsing. A big tree was uprooted on Maakutta road connecting Kerala which claimed one life. The connectivity between Madikeri, Bagamandala and Talacauvery and Bagamandala and Napoklu has been affected. Many villages around Talacauvery have lost connectivity. With the rise in water levels at Triveni Sangama in Bagamandala, several piligrims had to be rescued in boats.

Kodagu received an average of 85.06  mm of rainfall in 24 hours between Wednesday and Thursday. Last year on the same day it had just received just 23.86mm of rainfall. Between Monday and Thursday Kodagu has recorded 273.3mm of rainfall.

On Thursday the inflow at Kabini was 36,000 cusecs, KRS was 28,383, Harangi was 3663 and Hemavathi was 37,479 cusecs. The water level at Kabini on Thursday evening was 2280 feet as against its capacity of 2284 feet. Last year on the same day it stood at 2249.10 feet.

The water level at KRS dam on Thursday  was 90.80 feet compared to the level last year which was 67.45 feet. At Harangi, the water level on Thursday was 2823.58 feet as against its capacity of 2859 feet. Last year on the same day it stood at 2811.62 feet. At Hemavathi, the water level on Thursday was 2894.25 feet as against its capacity 2922 feet. Last year on the same daythe water level was 2854.15feet. KRS has live storage of 12.02 TMC as against its capacity of 45.05 TMC, Kabini has 11.27 TMC as against its capacity of 15.67 TMC, Hemavathi has 15.10 TMC as against its capacity of 35.76 TMC and Harangi has 2.57 TMC as against its capacity of 8.07 TMC as per water resources department sources.