Water level in the Krishna and other rivers subsided owing to reduced rainfall and lesser release of water from the reservoirs in Maharashtra on Sunday.

Irrigation officers reduced the outflow from Almatti dam to two lakh cusecs from 2.5 lakh cusecs. This is the first time in two weeks the levels are being reduced.

Water level in the Lal Bahadur Shastri dam on the Krishna in Almatti is now just one metre less than the gross level of 519 metres. The dam has 105.12 tmcft of water against the capacity of 123 tmcft. The inflow into the dam remains over 2.6 lakh cusecs.

Water release from Maharashtra, recorded at the Rajapur dam, was 1.42 lakh cusecs. This includes the discharge of 28,000 cusecs from the Koyna dam. Officers estimate that the total release from Maharashtra has been over 15 lakh cusecs, or around 130 tmcft of water. This is far less than the over 600 tmcft of water released from Maharashra last year.

In order to avoid the threat of floods, officials kept the outflow higher than tshe inflow in most reservoirs in the district.

Release from the Naviluteertha dam on the Malaprabha was pegged at 11,464 cusecs against the inflow of 8,339 cusecs. This is half of the release on Thursday. The dam now has 34.34 tmcft of water against 37.73 tmcft. Outflow from the Raja Lakhamagouda dam on the Ghataprabha in Hidkal was 20,800 cusecs against the inflow of 20,055 cusecs.

The district has suffered from excess rainfall this year. Officials say that the the district received the whole year’s quota of rainfall in the first eight months.

Initial estimates indicate that crops in over 43,300 hectares have been damaged in Belagavi district.

As per the initial estimates in Bagalkot, crops in over 12,000 hectares have been affected.

A joint survey by agriculture, horticulture, and revenue officials will be conducted this week , to arrive a the exact extent of crop damage. The Dharwad district administration has counted 250 damaged houses.

The Belagavi district administration has set up 11 flood relief centres in Belagavi district where evacuated families are being given food and shelter. Nayak Student Federation, a Gokak-based NGO, has set up 10 relief centres. The Bagalkot district administration has set up 20 relief centres.

Till now, three persons have died of flooding or house collapse across north Karnataka.

Traffic has resumed over nine of the 16 bridges that had submerged in floodwaters in Belagavi district.