River Bhima that had been wreaking havoc along its course downstream at Afzalpur, Jewargi, Chittapur, Shahabad and Kalaburagi taluks in Karnataka’s Kalaburagi district for the last five days continued its devastation on Sunday as well.
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As per the district administration, the average discharge from the Sonna barrage remained at 8 lakh cusecs. Reports reaching the district headquarters late in the evening indicated continued destruction of standing crops and inundation of thousands of houses in over 157 villages. The administration estimated around 10,000 houses were flooded till Sunday evening. It said 20,024 people from 57 drought-prone villages were shifted to safer places. While 140 relief centres were operating by Sunday evening, no loss of human life is reported.
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According to the Central Water Commission, the level in Bhima measured at Deongaon Bridge situated close to the barrage has, for the first time after 2006, breached the danger level (404.5 metres) and highest flood level (407.34 metres) late on Friday. and reached 409 metres at 9 am on Sunday. The water level is expected to cross 410 metres in the immediate future.
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A company of Indian Army that had arrived from Secunderabad late on Saturday joined the teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Fire Personnel and local police in their rescue and relief operations. The 98-personnel company was divided into three teams and deployed in flood-hit Afzalpur, Jewargi and Shahabad taluks.
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Deputy Commissioner Vijaya Jyothsna, Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Panchayat Dr. P. Raja, Additional Commissioner of Public Instruction Nalin Atul visited the Sonna Barrage and other flood-hit areas and took stock of the situation on the ground level.