Heavy Downpour Leads to Rising River Levels
Belagavi district in Karnataka has been experiencing continuous heavy rainfall over the past 48 hours, leading to a significant rise in water levels of major rivers including the Krishna and Ghataprabha. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for the district, predicting extremely heavy rainfall in the coming days.
Flood Alert for Low-Lying Areas
District authorities have issued a flood alert for residents living in low-lying areas along the riverbanks. The Belagavi district administration has advised people to move to safer locations and has set up relief camps in several locations. According to officials, the water level in the Krishna River at the Kudachi gauge station has risen to 12.5 meters, just below the danger mark of 13 meters.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and have deployed teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) for rescue operations if needed,” said a district official.
Impact on Daily Life
The heavy rains have disrupted normal life in many parts of Belagavi. Several roads have been submerged, causing traffic jams and delays. Schools and colleges in the affected areas have been declared closed for the day as a precautionary measure. Power supply has also been affected in some regions due to the downpour.
According to the IMD, Belagavi received 204 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, which is significantly above the average for this time of year. The weather department has warned of more heavy to very heavy rainfall in the next 48 hours, with isolated extremely heavy falls likely.
Precautionary Measures
The district administration has urged people to avoid unnecessary travel and stay away from riverbanks and other water bodies. Farmers have been advised to take necessary precautions to protect their crops. The authorities have also released water from some dams to manage the inflow, which has further increased the water levels downstream.
“We have opened the gates of the Hidkal Dam to release excess water, and we are advising people downstream to be cautious,” said an official from the Karnataka Water Resources Department.
