Three bridges in Chikkodi taluk, which were submerged in the waters of the Krishna and its tributaries for more than 24 hours, were opened to traffic on Monday afternoon.
Three other bridges and two barrages in the taluk continue to be closed to traffic as they are submerged.
According to official sources here on Monday, the bridges that were opened to vehicular traffic are on Sidnal-Akkol road, Bhojwadi-Kunnur road and Karadga-Bhoj road. Kallol-Yadur road bridge, Sadalaga-Borgaon road bridge, Karadga-Bedkihal road bridge, Jatrat-Bhivadhi barrage, and Mallikwad-Dattawad barrage continue to be inundated since Saturday.
Sources said that villages such as Gavali, Krishnapur, Talewadi, Kongla, Pastoli and Holda in the forest areas of Khanapur taluk have been surrounded by water following incessant rain. However, there was no threat to life or property in these villages, each of which have 20 to 30 families. Every year, residents of these villages stock enough food and other essential commodities to last for three months before the commencement of monsoon as they remain cut off from the mainland when the water-level increases.
Outflow from the Rajapur barrage across the Krishna, situated at the Karnataka-Maharashtra border near Mangawati village in Chikkodi taluk, decreased to 71,103 cusecs on Monday and there was no discharge from the Koyana dam located upstream near Satara in Maharashtra.
Officials in the Deputy Commissioner’s office said there was no reason to panic as there was no report of any flooding by the swelling rivers though their catchment areas have been receiving heavy rainfall in the last few days.
The district administration was prepared to carryout any relief and rescue, officials said.
Inflow into the Hidkal dam across the Ghataprabha decreased from 15,249 cusecs on Sunday to 11,879 cuses on Monday. Inflow into the Navilteertha dam across the Malaprabha also decreased to 3,040 cusecs on Monday from 5,382 cusecs on Sunday.
Sources said the inflow into the Alamatti dam across the Krishna was at 86,759 cusecs and outflow was at 20,000 cusecs. Water-level in the dam was 516.8 m against the full-reservoir level of 519.6 m.
