Flood situation turns grim in Belgaum

Despite a respite from the incessant rainfall lashing northern parts of Karnataka, the flood situation in Belgaum district has turned grim with water released from reservoirs in neighbouring Maharashtra increasing the level of river Krishna and submerging roads, bridges and agricultural lands.

Though rains had retreated in Belgaum district, officials said river Krishna continued to flow in spate as Maharashtra was releasing more than 200,000 cusecs of water every day from the upstream Koyna reservoir.

With the level of Krishna continuing to rise, the Irrigation Department authorities in lower riparian state of Karnataka have begun releasing water from Almatti reservoir. To match the outflow of reservoirs in Maharashtra, authorities in Karnataka were releasing 217,000 cusecs of water from Almatti.

A total of 51 villages had been flooded with water while 24 bridges across the district had been submerged under the water. Similiarly, travel on a total of 28 roads criss-crossing the district have been suspended as the roads too have been submerged in the water.

Thousands of acres of agricultural land had also been inundated with water. The district administration has estimated a loss of Rs 750 million due to loss of crops in view of the floods.

With the water level in Krishna and its tributaries rising by almost two feet in the last two days, the authorities have begun evacuating people from several villages and shifting them to make-shift rehabilitation camps.
Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy is expected to call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh shortly and seek financial assistance to tackle the flood situation which has turned grim in Belgaum and other northern parts of the State