40% of Gokak town in Belagavi under water

The flooding has affected about 200 houses in the Old Cattle Market, Dor Oni, Dalimbri Toota, Mutton Market, Uppar Oni, Bojagar Oni, Kumbar Oni, Shindi Koot, and 15 industrial sheds in Gokak

More than 40% of Gokak town in Belagavi district has been submerged due to overflowing of water from the Ghataprabha river after 1,64,000 cusecs of water was released from the Hidkal reservoir over the last two days, Belagavi deputy commissioner Mohammed Roshan said on Sunday.

To maintain water levels in the Hidkal reservoir, 82,000 cusecs of water was released on Saturday and a similar amount on Sunday, causing several low-lying areas in Gokak to submerge. (HT)

“To maintain water levels in the Hidkal reservoir, 82,000 cusecs of water were released on Saturday and a similar amount on Sunday, causing several low-lying areas in Gokak to submerge. Over 40% of the Gokak town has been submerged,” Roshan said adding that a total of 550 people from 155 families, whose houses were submerged, have been given shelter in the government PU college and the APMC centre.

The flooding has affected about 200 houses in the Old Cattle Market, Dor Oni, Dalimbri Toota, Mutton Market, Uppar Oni, Bojagar Oni, Kumbar Oni, Shindi Koot, and 15 industrial sheds in Gokak. Hundreds of residents from Chigadolli village in Gokak taluk have fled their homes as the floodwaters have also inundated their village.

According to officials familiar with the matter, people have lost connectivity to Gokak town as the Lolasur and Chikkolli bridges, located on the town’s outskirts, are submerged under approximately five feet of water.

Police sub inspector Walikar, who leads the team overseeing the bridges, said that thousands of people, including tourists visiting Gokak Falls, are flocking to see the bridges. “Both bridges have become tourist spots due to the overflow. Managing the crowd is a difficult task for the department,”he said.

Meanwhile, Basavaraj Koppad, a village leader from Chigadolli, expressed concerns about the lack of care centres in their village. He stated that displaced residents are taking refuge in tractor trollies and a petrol bunk near the village due to the absence of official shelters. “People have not been moved to safer locations because they can’t leave their livestock without food and water,” he said.

At the APMC campus, where around 150 people are taking shelter, concerns about the building’s safety have been raised. One of the residents, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “We are receiving good and tasty food, hot water for bathing, and new mattresses and blankets. However, the building we are staying in is not safe.” The education department is responsible for supplying food to the displaced families.

The livestock belonging to the families housed in makeshift shelters has been moved to the animal husbandry department. Animal husbandry department’s deputy director Mohan Kamat said that over 100 livestock, mainly sheep, goats, and cattle, are being housed in the Gokak taluka hospital. “Veterinary inspectors are taking care of the animals around the clock. The cattle have been vaccinated against throat infections, which are becoming prevalent,” he said.

The Hidkal reservoir in Hukkeri taluk, located about 50 kilometres from Belagavi, reported a water level of 2,148.800 feet against its total brim level of 2,170.167 feet at 7 am on Sunday. The dam received an inflow of 50,337 cusecs, with the same volume of water released into the Ghataprabha river.

According to district administration reports, 41 bridges are currently overflowing, and 232 villages in both the Belagavi and Chikkodi divisions are facing flood threats. A total of 2,427 people from 792 families across 20 affected villages have been relocated to care centres, while 1,006 people have moved to relatives’ homes.

With the Krishna river experiencing high water levels, with nearly 2,50,000 cusecs of inflow, Belagavi deputy commissioner Mohammed Roshan said that to manage the water level in the Alamatti reservoir in Bagalkot district, 3,12,583 cusecs of water were released into the Narayanpur reservoir in Yadagiri district as of Sunday morning, against an inflow of 2,54,829 cusecs. The Alamatti reservoir is the largest in the state, with a capacity of 123.081 tmcft.

Belagavi and Khanapur taluks have been experiencing continuous rainfall for the past 15 days, contributing to the flooding in 13 other taluks as river water levels rise. As a result, educational institutions up to IInd PU were closed last week due to the heavy rains.

The district administration has set up multiple relief centres across Belagavi, offering food, medical aid, and temporary shelter to displaced families.

The state government has assured that all necessary measures are being taken to address the crisis and support affected communities. “We are coordinating with various departments to ensure that relief efforts are carried out efficiently. Our priority is the safety and well-being of the residents,” stated an official from the Belagavi district administration.