Excess water from Maharashtra dams enters river Krishna, Belagavi taluks flooded

Belagavi: Many areas on the state’s borders with Maharashtra are facing threat of floods owing to the heavy rain of the last few days and the huge amount of water being released from the dams and reservoirs of the neighbouring state into the Krishna river.

Several low lying bridges and barrages in Belagavi district have already been submerged by an overflowing Krishna, forcing the local administration to stop vehicles and people from using them.

Going by sources, at least 40,000 cusecs is being released into the Krishna river in Belagavi district from the reservoirs in Maharashtra following heavy rain in Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara and Pune districts located on the border.

With the submersion of the Kallol-Yedur and Karadga-Boj bridges, the local administration has diverted traffic to alternative routes and roads leading to many areas in Maharashtra from Chikkodi and Athani have been blocked with low-lying bridges in these areas submerging in the waters of an overflowing river Krishna.

Things are unlikely to get better in the near future as most flood-prone areas in Belagavi district are expected to receive more rainfall over the next two days going by the weathermen. It's feared this could lead to a rise in the levels of most of the tributaries of the Krishna, including Doodganga and Vedganga, leading to floods.

Belagavi Deputy Commissioner Ziyaulla, has ordered his officials to take precautionary measures and keep boats and divers ready to help stranded people in case of floods and also set up rehabilitation centres. Officials of the health department too have been told to be ready with kits and volunteers to tackle the situation.

Meanwhile, Anjaneya temple in Khanapur taluk was submerged by an overflowing Malaprabha river on Wednesday and power supply was hit in many villages, which received heavy rain.