One person was killed while scores of houses collapsed in parts of Karnataka as the flood situation worsened in the State. According to police, a 25-year-old man was killed at Hoskote in Bylahongal taluk of Belagavi district when the wall of his house crashed on him.
Schools were shut and bus and train services cancelled due to the heavy downpour, coupled with water released from dams in neighbouring Maharashtra. Belagavi bore the brunt as water from the Koyna dam in neighbouring Maharashtra gushed into the Krishna river.
Besides the Krishna river, the Markandeya, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha and Bheema rivers are in spate, wreaking havoc in many parts of the State. Water from the Markandeya river gushed into Gokak and Hukkeri in Belagavi. The districts hit due to the torrential rains and subsequent flooding are Belagavi, Vijayapura, Yadgiri, Raichur, Bagalkot, Hubballi-Dharwad, Shivamogga, Udupi, Dakshina Kananda, Kodagu and Uttara Kannada.
The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation has cancelled many buses from Belagavi to Pune.
Train services were also hit due to the floods. In a Statement, the South Western Railway said services between Londa and Tinai Ghat stands suspended till the situation returns to normal.
A defence spokesperson said 15 Army columns from Dakshin Bharat area, each comprising 60 jawans, besides NDRF, SDRF, police and home guards have been deployed for rescue and rehabilitation work.
Schools, colleges in Dakshina Kannada will be closed on August 7
All anganawadis, schools and colleges in Dakshina Kannada will remain closed on August 7 in view of heavy rain warning by the India Meteorological Department. According to Sasikanth Senthil S., Deputy Commissioner, “red alert” has been declared for two days in the district from August 7.
Partial cancellation of trains
A land slip of approximate 500 cubic meters has fallen on the track at Km.86/0-1 at 08.35 hrs between Siribagilu and Subramanya Road Railway station in Sakleshpur- Subramanya Road ghat section of Mysuru Division due to incessant rain fall in ghat section since Sunday evening, while the restoration works were in progress second land slip of about 200 cubic meters occurred at 12.00 hrs at Km.86/1-3 on the same stretch. Total of 213mm of rainfall is recorded since yesterday in the ghat section.
Railway officials and staff are on the job to clear the tracks.
In view of the restoration works and safety of passengers the following trains are partially cancelled on 06.08.2019
1. Train No.16516 Karwar to Yesvantpur express journey commencing on 06.08.2019 is partially cancelled between Mangaluru Central to Hassan.
2. Train No.16575 Yesvantpur to Mangaluru Jn journey commencing on 06.08.2019 is partially cancelled between Hassan to Mangaluru Central.
Shivamogga Corporation asks people to be cautious
In wake of the possibilities of enhancing the discharge of water from Gajanur reservoir constructed across Tunga river, the Shivamogga City Corporation has issued an advisory asking the people to be alert as the situation could turn critical.
At present, water is being discharged at the rate of 76,089 cusec from Gajanur reservoir owing to which Tunga river was flowing above danger level in Shivamogga city. As the catchment areas of reservoir in Tirthahalli and Koppa taluks are receiving torrential rain, the quantum of discharge is likely to be enhanced. The Corporation has asked the people residing in lowlying areas including Imam Bada, Kumbaragundi in Shivamogga city to move to safer places.
Rains continue to batter Kodagu
Monsoon has further intensified in Kodagu and the district administration declared holiday for schools and colleges on Tuesday.
The decision on whether to extend the holiday will be taken after assessing the rain situation with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting heavy rainfall and issuing ‘orange and red’ alerts until August 10. Accordingly, the district administration has made taken precautionary measures for carrying out emergency operations.
Bhagamandala and Talacauvery have recorded heavy rains since last three days and traffic between the two places has been suspended with flood waters submerging the road. Triveni Sangam at Bhagamandala was overflowing.
Former Speaker and Virajpet MLA K G Bopaiah, accompanied by officials, visited the flood-hit Bhagamandala in an inflatable boat.
Madikeri-Bhagamandala and Napoklu-Bhagamandala Roads have been flooded. Boats have been kept ready in Bhagamandala for evacuating people stuck in floods. The personnel of Fire Department and Home Guards have also been deployed in the area for emergency operations.
Ponnampet recorded the highest rainfall in the district with 180.04 mm in the last 24 hours. Bhagamandala is witnessing heavy to very heavy rains and it recorded 170 mm rainfall since Monday.
10 trees uprooted, 141 electricity poles damaged in Udupi
The personnel of MESCOM clearing a tree which fell on the Convent Road in Udupi on August 6, 2019
About 10 trees were uprooted in Udupi city due to rains accompanied by strong winds on Tuesday. Narasimha Bhat, Executive Engineer, Mangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (MESCOM), told The Hindu that as many as 141 electricity poles were damaged in the district after trees fell on them due to rains and winds since Monday night.
Low-lying areas at Navunda in Udupi district were also flooded.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Hephsiba Rani Korlapati, told reporters that the Administration has directed the Tahsildars to take immediate action wherever the damages had occurred. They have been directed to pay compensation immediately if houses were damaged. "We are monitoring the situation closely," she said.
(Special Correspondent)
Pune-Bengaluru stretch of NH 48 to be closed for a few days
The Pune-Bengaluru stretch of the National Highway 48 will remain closed for a few days for traffic. This is due to blockages at several points on the highway.
There was a landslide near Kognoli in Maharashtra on Monday evening and flooding of the road near Kolhapur, Kakati, and Yamagarni villages along the way on Tuesday following heavy rains in western Maharashtra and north Karnataka.
Normal life paralysed as Shivamogga receives torrential rains
Shivamogga district is receiving torrential rain owing to which normal life has been paralysed.
In wake of rainfall, the district administration has declared a holiday for schools and colleges here on Tuesday. Ramesh, a farmer has died due to a landslide when he was working in his paddy field in Kannangi in Tirthahalli taluk. K.A. Dayanand, Deputy Commissioner has handed over ₹5 lakh as compensation for the family members of the deceased.
(Staff Reporter)
Tree falls on Netravati express
The tree which fell on the compartment of Netravati Express at Udupi railway station in Udupi on August 6, 2019
A peepal tree fell on a compartment of Netravati Express ( Train No: 16345.) near Udupi railway station on Tuesday due to heavy rains and winds. The train was moving towards Mangaluru at 5.30 a.m. However no one was injured and the train proceeded forward after the tree was cleared, stated a press release by the Railway Protection Force.
Orange and red alert across Kodagu
The IMD has predicted heavy downpour in the district and issued orange and red alerts across the district until August 10. Holiday has been declared for schools and colleges in Kodagu on Tuesday following heavy rains. The district administration may consider holiday for Wednesday depending on the intensity of rainfall.
(Special Correspondent)
Rivers Hemavathi and Tunga in full spate
Several parts of Chikkamagaluru and Hassan districts received heavy rain on Monday night, forcing the administration to declare a holiday for schools on Tuesday. Rivers Hemavathi and Tunga are in full spate, leaving people in the low-lying area worried.
The Chikkamagaluru district administration has declared a holiday for schools in Chikkamagaluru, Mudigere, N.R.Pura, Koppa and Sringeri taluks. Similarly, in Hassan, the district administration has declared a holiday for schools in Sakaleshpur taluk, Arehalli hobli in Belur and K.Hoskote and Palya hoblis of Alur taluk.
The premises of Sharada Peetha at Sringeri have been flooded. The water level in Tunga river has been increasing. A portion of Kappe Shankara Temple in the town is submerged in water. In Sakaleshpur, Hemavati is in spate.
Meanwhile, the inflow to the Hemavati reservoir at Goruru has been going up. As on Tuesday morning, the water level stood at 2,896.2 ft against the full reservoir level of 2922 ft. The inflow was 17,623 cusecs. The quantity of water stored in the dam is 17.54 TMC.
(Special Correspondent)
Holiday for schools in five taluks in Dakshina Kannada
Except in the city and other parts of Mangaluru and Moodbidri Taluks, Dakshina Kannada district administration has declared holiday for schools in five other taluks in the district on August 6 following heavy rains since Monday evening.
Schools in Sullia, Puttur, Kadaba, Belthangady and Bantwal taluks will remain closed on August 6, an official statement said. Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad has declared holidays for all schools and colleges for two days (August 6 & 7). A holiday has been declared for schools in Mudigere and Koppa taluks on August 6. Similarly in Hassan, holiday has been declared for schools in Arehally hobli of Belur taluk and K.Hoskote and Palya hiblis of Alur taluk. The Deputy Commissioner of Haveri Krishna Bajpai has declared holidays for all schools and colleges in the district on August 6.
A portion of Mudipu Mangaluru Road at Kambalapadavu which slipped due to the heavy rains
Water level in the Netravathi river in Bantwal stood at 7.7 mts on August 6 morning against the danger level of 8.5 mts. Water level in the Netravathi at Uppinangady stood at 28.2 mts against the danger level of 31.5 mts and the water level in Kumaradhara river in Uppinagady, where the two rivers merge, stood at 21 mts against the danger level of 26.5 mts.
Reports said that flood water entered to some houses and shops in low lying areas near APMC railway gate, Mahalingeshwar temple in Puttur on Monday night. People from some houses in those areas were shifted to safer place on Monday night.
(Special Correspondent)
Train services suspended
Due to torrential downfall and consequent water flowing below track , both up and down lines between Londa and Tinaighat are suspended from 1.00 a.m. on August 6 night till further advice. Divisional Engineer of Central Section of Hubli Division visited spot at Km.1/0-100 last night ( land slip location on Sunday) and has advised that in view of safety of passengers, train traffic to be suspended till normal operations can be resumed safely.
Read the full list of rescheduled and short-terminated trains here
Over 200 personnel deployed in flood-hit areas
The Karnataka State Fire and Emergency Services Department has deployed more than 200 personnel for undertaking rescue operations in the flood-affected areas in Belagavi, Bagalkot, Raichur, and Yadgir districts.
Fifty members of the State Disaster Response Force from Belagavi and Kalaburagi regions have been deployed to undertake rescue operations. Adequate number of boats too have been pressed into service.
Floodwaters continue to rage through North Karnataka
The flood situation in northern districts of Karnataka continues to be grim as outflow from reservoirs in the Krishna basin of Maharashtra has witnessed an increase, resulting in further inundation of villages, barrage-cum-bridges, and farmlands.
The death toll has risen to two with a man getting washed away in the floodwaters of Krishna river in Belagavi district on Monday. Maruti Jadhav, 30, was washed away at a field near Chikkodi. The police found his body downstream by evening. Three days ago, Shivanand Nayak got washed away in the floodwaters at Adeppa Ankalagi village.
Fresh landslip in Kodagu district as rain intensifies
With rainfall intensifying in Kodagu district in the last two days, a fresh landslip that occurred on Monday morning has affected traffic moving towards Kerala.
A stretch of Virajpet-Makutta Road, one of the key roads between Kodagu and Kerala, has caved in. As a safety measure, traffic between Perumbadi check-post to Makutta check-post on the highway has been suspended.
Yediyurappa writes to Maharashtra CM
Chief Minister B.S.Yediyurappa has conducted areal survey on the flood affected areas in North Karnataka on August 5.
Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has written to his counterpart in Maharashtra requesting him to take requisite measures to regulate water discharge from their reservoirs.
The Chief Minister said he would also be convening a meeting of legislators from the flood-hit taluks within a fortnight to elicit their views on relief works.
Officials told to be ready to handle floods after excess water alert
Alerted by the release of excess water from Veer and Ujjani reservoirs in Maharashtra, Deputy Commissioner of Kalaburagi R. Venkatesh Kumar on Monday visited Allagi (B) village and surrounding areas that sit on the banks of Sonna Barrage in Afzalpur taluk facing the threat of floods.
As per Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited (KNNL) officials, Maharashtra released 70,000 cusecs of water from the Veer Dam built across the Nira river, a tributary of the Bhima, and 64,000 cusecs of water from the Ujjani Dam built across the Bhima on Monday afternoon.
