Road caves in affecting traffic as heavy rain lashes Belagavi, Khanapur taluks

Vehicle movement hit as Sindhanur-Hemmadaga State Highway is under water

Farmers in Ambewadi village planting seedlings during rain in Belagavi district on Monday.

Heavy rain continued to lash Belagavi and Khanapur taluks on Monday. A portion of a road connecting a barrage over the Alatri stream in Tivoli village in Khanapur taluk caved in, stopping vehicle movement.

The Sindhanur-Hemmadaga State Highway was under water, bringing traffic to a halt.

Farmers in Khanapur taluk complained that there were long power cuts as several trees fell on power lines across the taluk.

Farmers in Belagavi and Khanapur taluk have complained that hundreds of acres of crops are under water, as the Markandeya is in spate.

Irrigation officials said that Maharashtra had released over 1.7 lakh cusecs of water from its reservoirs into the Krishna.

Officials have alerted farmers and fishermen in some villages in Athani and Chikkodi taluk not to venture into the river course.

Water in Hippargi reservoir over the Krishna and the Sadalaga reservoir on the Veda Ganga-Doodha Ganga is near the danger level, officials said.

Water level stands at 522.05 m against the danger level of 524.87 m. In Sadalaga, the water level is 534.81 m against the danger level of 538 m.

The Rakkasakoppa reservoir over the Markandeya that supplies drinking water to the city is nearly full, Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board officials said.

All the gates of the reservoir were opened on Monday.

Farmers continued to plant paddy seedlings in fields in most villages.

Despite the downpour, officials said the district has received less than annual average rainfall. Belagavi gets an annual average of 1,500 mm of rainfall and there has been a deficit of 17 %, Joint Director of Agriculture Jilani Mokashi said.