An increase in water discharge from Maharashtra reservoirs into the Krishna River has resulted in the submergence of six bridge-cum-barrages in Belagavi district.
The affected bridges, located in Malikwad, Barwad, Bhoj, Karadaga, Kunnur, and Manjari villages, connect 12 villages. With water flowing over them, commuters have been diverted to alternative routes, and police have closed off access to the submerged stretches.
Water flow at the inter-State gauging point on the Karnataka-Maharashtra border surged to around 55,000 cusecs, up from 6,000 cusecs recorded on Sunday. However, Irrigation Department officials have clarified that there is no immediate flood threat unless the discharge exceeds 2 lakh cusecs.
Water released over the weekend reached Belagavi district on Monday, continued into Bagalkot on Tuesday, and is expected to flow into the Lal Bahadur Shastri Reservoir in Almatti by Wednesday, according to officials.
The Almatti dam currently receives an inflow of 20,895 cusecs, with an outflow of 15,000 cusecs, which may be increased post-Wednesday. The reservoir holds around 65 tmcft, roughly half of its total 123 tmcft capacity.
The Hipparagi barrage is recording an inflow of 32,236 cusecs and an outflow of 31,727 cusecs.
At the Raja Lakhamagouda Reservoir in Hidkal over the Ghataprabha river, inflow has risen to 13,709 cusecs, with a minimal outflow of 115 cusecs. The reservoir currently stores 48.9 tmcft of water against its full level of 51 tmcft.
Meanwhile, the Gokak Falls on the Ghataprabha River near Naya Nagar is overflowing and attracting crowds. In response, police have stepped up security and are warning visitors to avoid entering the waterfall area due to safety concerns.
Rainfall Intensity Drops
On Monday, rainfall activity declined across Belagavi, Bagalkot, and Vijayapura districts. While light showers continued in the forested areas of Khanapur, most regions in North Karnataka recorded little to no rain. Submerged bridges in Belagavi have begun to re-emerge, with traffic movement gradually resuming.
