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Nine villages in Karnataka inundated due to overflowing rivers
Following the release of water from the KRS and Kabini dams, the overflowing of Cauvery and Kabini Rivers has led to severe flooding in nine villages of southern Karnataka on Thursday, said officials familiar with the matter.
Following the release of water from the KRS and Kabini dams, the overflowing of Cauvery and Kabini Rivers has led to severe flooding in nine villages of southern Karnataka on Thursday, said officials familiar with the matter.
The nine flooded villages include Dasanpur, Harale, Agrahara, Hale Hampapur, New Hampapur, Mullur, Hale Angalli, Yadakuriya, Dhangere, and Saraguru in Kollegala taluk of Chamarajanagar.
“The current flood crisis is further exacerbated by the ongoing heavy rainfall in Wayanad, Kerala, which has led to a substantial increase in the inflow of water into the Kabini reservoir,” said deputy commissioner Shilpa Nag. “The water level in the reservoir, located in Beechanahalli village of HD Kote Taluk, has surged to 2281.59 feet, just below its maximum capacity of 2284 feet. This rise in water levels has heightened the flood risk in the Kapila river basin, prompting district authorities to issue warnings to residents to remain vigilant and prepared for potential emergencies.”
In response to the escalating situation, the district administration has erected barricades to restrict access to these submerged villages, and residents of the most severely impacted areas, such as Dasanpur and Hale Angalli, have been evacuated to care centres in Kollegala. The floodwaters have inundated homes and agricultural lands, prompting the authorities to declare a holiday for schools and colleges in the affected villages to ensure the safety of students and staff.
Emergency services, including boats and other rescue arrangements, have been readied to handle any further escalation in the crisis. Additionally, officials have been deployed to prevent residents from approaching the floodwaters.
The release of water from the Kabini and KRS reservoirs has also caused significant disruptions in other parts of the region. The Hemmige Bridge in Talakad and several surrounding bridges have been submerged, severely affecting traffic and connectivity. The bridge connecting Narsipur and Talakad in Mysore district has been particularly impacted, with two feet of water flowing over it, necessitating the closure of the road. This marks the second instance of the bridge being submerged in a week, leading to the installation of barricades on both sides to prevent accidents.
Additionally, the Mysore Ring Road has been blocked due to the flooding of a bridge in Varuna constituency of Mysore Taluk. The blockage has severed access to several villages and submerged nearby coconut plantations.
So far, 748 people have taken shelter in 22 care centres throughout the district, according to additional deputy commissioner Geetha Hudded. “The number of people was just 248 on Tuesday but surged due to the rising water levels. We have taken all necessary precautions with boats and NDRF teams ready to face the situation. The water flow from the KRS is at one lakh cusecs, while it is 50,000 cusecs from the Kabini Reservoir, cumulatively totaling 1.5 lakh cusecs. This heavy flow has resulted in water entering more homes. We have also opened a 24x7 control room to assist the people,” she said.
