One person has gone missing and a temporary bridge washed away as heavy rain lashed the tri-State Kuppam region and some neighbouring districts of Karnataka on Monday resulting in overflowing of various checkdams on the Palar river that crisscrosses Karnataka, AP and Tamil Nadu.
The river saw rainwater flowing after a gap of 20 years, irrigation officials said.
Shantipuram mandal in the Kuppam Assembly constituency received the highest rainfall of 70 mm followed by Gudipalle 66.4 mm, Ramakuppam 41 mm and Kuppam 33.6 mm since Monday evening which continued till the early hours of Tuesday. The neighbouring areas of Nandi Hills and Kolar district in Karnataka too received downpour for about 24 hours. As the Betamangalam reservoir in Karnataka was brimming, the officials there released water by lifting 16 gates and it will be reaching the Ramasagaram reservoir by early hours of Wednesday. This, in turn, will bring gush of waters into the Palar river, in addition to the present flow due to rains.
Villages alerted
The police in Kuppam alerted the vulnerable villages along the Palar river course about the reservoir outflows reaching the region likely by Wednesday midnight or Thursday.
The temporary bridge on the Poduru rivulet near the PES Medical College near Kuppam was completely washed away on Monday midnight, leading to a big traffic jam on the Madanapalle-Krishnagiri national highway. The traffic was diverted through Anantapur district, connecting Krishnagiri and Bengaluru. The vehicles going towards Telangana were also diverted through this section.
Meanwhile, Dharman (34) of Gopanapalle village of Kuppam mandal was washed away in the swirling waters at the checkdam nearby on Monday night. The fire and police personnel launched a search for the missing man.