Rivers on a swell in Karnataka following massive downpour

Water level in various major rivers in Karnataka rose sharply on Tuesday due to heavy downpour during the last 24 hours and also by an overflow in the upstream in the neighbouring Maharashtra, PTI quoted officials as saying.

Krishna, Bhadra, Tunga, Bhima, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, Markandeya Hiranyakeshi and several other small rivers and rivulets are "swollen and flowing dangerously", sources in the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre said.

According to them, the affected districts are: Belagavi, Bagalkote, Vijayapura, Chikkamagaluru, Uttara Kannada and Kodagu.


The sources told PTI that Gokak town in Belagavi and parts of Bagalkote are flooded due to torrential rains in parts of Maharashtra.

Sources said 11 gates of Bhima Barrage were opened and over one lakh cusecs of water released.

Similarly, the Hidkal dam gate has also been opened releasing over 28,000 cusecs of water from it.

Reports said water is overflowing in many bridges in Chikkodi, Ramadurga, Nippani and Khanapur Taluks in Belagavi district, Mudhol Taluk in Bagalkote district, and Honnavar in Uttara Kannada district.

Landslides were reported in some parts of Charmadi Ghat, according to officials.

(With PTI inputs)