BELAGAVI/ ATHANI: Heavy rain in several parts of Belagavi district has brought life to a standstill, flooding more than 16 bridges, and a number of roads to several villages lie damaged, on Friday.
Due to the heavy downpour in different parts of Maharashtra, Krishna river is overflowing. According to reports, in Maharashtra, places that received heavy rain are as follows — Koyna: 165 mm, Nawja: 147 mm, Mahableshwar: 222 mm, Warna: 149 mm, Kolhapur: 34 mm, Radhanagri: 162 mm and Dudhganga received 101 mm rainfall. The water level at Hipparagi barrage was 524.35 m on Friday, while the inflow was 2,18,500 cusecs and outflow 2,17,500 cusecs. At Almatti reservoir, the water level was 518.41 m with an inflow of 2,05,832 cusecs and outflow of 2,29,292 cusecs.
Villagers residing along riverbanks and tributaries should be shifted to safer places, Deputy Commissioner S B Bommanhalli instructed assistant commissioners concerned and tahsildars on Friday. He instructed officials to start 24x7 control rooms, and depute staff to help at all taluk and subdivision levels in the district. He has also asked them to take measures to relocate villagers residing on riverbanks.
He asserted that the police department, fire fighters, state disaster response force, district Home Guard force, engineers of Panchayat Raj department and Public Works Department should make arrangements of boats and other rescue material for rescue operations during floods, if needed. Officials of Hubballi Electricity Company Limited should take measures to shift electricity poles near rivers or take safety measures to prevent any incident, he added.
39 villages on high alert
As many as 39 villages are likely to be affected by floods in Chikkodi sub-division. Chikkodi assistant commissioner Ravi Karalingnnavar has informed that these villages in Chikkodi are likely to be affected due to heavy rains and the water released from Maharashtra.