Dams release water, rescue teams in North Karnataka on alert

BELAGAVI: After a brief respite in the first week of August, North Karnataka is staring at a flood-like situation again due to downpour in catchment areas of major rivers and discharge of water from dams across the Krishna, Malaprabha and Ghataprabha rivers.
Disaster management teams in flood-prone gram panchayats were put on alert on Sunday.
Sources said Karnataka and Maharashtra are working together to prevent a repeat of the 2019 floods. Officials released 50,000 cusecs of water from Koyna dam, built across the Krishna in Satara district, Maharashtra, after heavy rain. With the dam 85% full, more water is likely to be discharged.
“So far, 75,000 cusecs of water has been released from Koyna and minor dams. Discharge from Kallol barrage in Chikkodi is expected to touch 2.5 lakh cusecs soon,” said Aravind Kangil, chief engineer of Belagavi division, Karnataka Neeravari Nigama Ltd.
State officials are worried over increasing inflow to Navilteerth dam across Malaprabha, a tributary of Krishna, at Saundatti taluk in Belagavi. The water level touched 2075ft as against the full level of 2079ft.
Hidkal dam, across the Ghataprabha, also released 20,739 cusecs. “We have alerted villagers living near the riverbanks in Saundatti, Ramdurg taluks of Belagavi; Nargund and Rona in Gadag district and villages in Bagalkot district. Relief centres are being identified to shift villagers if the situation worsens,” a disaster management official said.
“Villagers in Raichur, Yadgir and Kalaburagi districts have been warned against venturing near the riverbanks. NDRF teams have reached district headquarters and rescue boats have been kept ready,” said disaster management officer Venkatesh Bulla.