Villagers asked to relocate to safer areas as Hidkal dam water touches danger mark
The Hiranyakeshi river in Hukkeri taluk, linked to Hidkal reservoir, is overflowing due to heavy inflow to Markandeya river following incessant rains in Karnataka as well as neighbouring Maharashtra.
People residing on Ghataprabha river banks near Hidkal reservoir in Belagavi district have been asked to move to safer places as water levels rise to dangerous levels in the dam following copious rains in the region.
The Hiranyakeshi river in Hukkeri taluk, linked to Hidkal reservoir, is overflowing due to heavy inflow to Markandeya river following incessant rains in Karnataka as well as neighbouring Maharashtra.
In order to maintain safe water levels, dam authorities will release around 20,000 cusecs of water into Ghataprabha river. The river flows through Gokak, one of the commercial centres in the border district, that has already seen several localities inundated due to the recent rains.
Many bridges across the river, including Lolasur bridge that links Bagalkot and Vijayapuara, got disconnected by the heavy flow of water from the river.
Gokak town and most parts of this taluka were submerged in the second and third week of August as water was released to the river from the reservoir.
There has been incessant downpour in Maharashtra for about a week that has added to excess water flow into Krishna river, one of the lifelines for people living in the northern districts of Karnataka.
The state irrigation department has alerted people to be cautious as more water is likely to be released from the reservoir from Monday.
“The gram panchayats are alerting villagers by beating drums and announcing the same on loudspeakers, asking them to shift to safer places,” one person aware of the developments said requesting not to be named.
The bridge between Hukkeri-Yaranal bridge in Hukkeri taluk has been cordoned off for a third time this monsoon season.
From June 1 to September 5, Belagavi has seen a 30% increase in rain while, in some districts like Bengaluru, it has been one of the wettest monsoons in recent history, inundating entire villages, resulting in crop loss, damage to homes, loss of life and livelihoods.
A 55-year-old woman, Gangawwa Ramanna Moolimani, died and another woman was injured after their home collapsed due to the rain in the early hours of Sunday.
The incident was reported from Hoolikatti village in Savadatti taluka. The deceased was asked to move to a safer place as her nearly 50-year-old home was in a dilapidated condition.