Rain fury: Normal life disrupted in Kodagu

Normal life was disrupted following heavy rain coupled with gusty winds across Kodagu district.

With the heavy rain in catchment areas, River Cauvery is in spate.

Kushalnagar, Guhya, Karadigodu, Siddapura and Nelyahudikeri regions are facing the threat of floods this year as well.

The platform at Triveni Sangama in Bhagamandala is submerged. The water level has risen in River Lakshmanateertha as well.

Alert declared

The district administration has declared a yellow alert in the district on Thursday.

An orange alert has been declared on Friday, a red alert on Saturday, an orange alert on Sunday and a yellow alert on Monday.

61.58 mm rain

During the last 24 hours ending on Wednesday at 8.30 am, the district received an average rainfall of 61.58 mm. There has been a rainfall of 1,110.43 mm from January to date. There was a rainfall of 718.74 mm during the same period last year.

Details of rainfall in various places in the district are as follows: Shantalli - 11.5 cm; Bhagamandala - 10.3 cm; Napoklu - 9.5 cm; Madikeri - 8.3 cm.

Harangi almost full

The inflow of water to Harangi reservoir has increased to 12,282 cusecs and only 7.5- feet is left for the dam to reach the maximum level.

As on Wednesday evening at 4 pm, the water level had reached 2851.35 feet. The maximum level of the dam is 2,859 feet. There is a storage of 6.21 TMC water in the reservoir. The outflow was 540 cusecs, on Wednesday.

The catchment areas of the dam have been receiving bountiful rain in the second week of July. Hence, the inflow has increased drastically, said, assistant engineer Siddaraju.

The reservoir was not full as the district did not receive the traditional rainfall in June. However, the rain intensified in July.

The monsoon got delayed last year as well and water was released from the dam in the third week of July.

District In-charge Minister V Somanna and MLA Appachu Ranjan will offer ‘bagina’ to Harangi dam on July 16 as the reservoir is expected to be full, said the MLA’s personnel secretary, Ravi.

Landslide

Minor landslides occurred at Talattamane on Madikeri-Mangaluru Road. Six families in the area have been shifted to the relief centre.

A landslide occurred in the same location way back in 2018. The work on the protective wall was in progress. But, as the soil is loose, the wall has started caving in.

A portion of the hill on which the transmission tower of All India Radio, Madikeri, is situated, has slid. This has caused a threat to the residential area nearby.

Owing to incessant rain in Bhagamandala-Talacauvery, water is flowing on the minor bridge in Balamuri. The movement of vehicles on the stretch has been prohibited.

Meanwhile, rain also disrupted the power supply in rural areas.

Work in the plantations has come to halt owing to heavy rain and gusty winds.

The Cauvery stream in Kottamudi and Kakkabbe stream in Napoklu, are in spate.

Farmers who were expecting rain for the transplantation of paddy seedlings are happy with the water in paddy fields at Nalluru, Kiruguru, Kanuru, Harihara, Balele and Nittur.

People in Pushpagiri hill range, Kote betta, Shantalli and Garvale Gram Panchayat limits are confined to their houses, owing to heavy rain. However, farmers are busy with agricultural activities in Somwarpet.

Trees have fallen on Koverkolli, Aiguru and Shanivarasanthe state highway. A tree branch fell on an electricity pole near LPG godown at Somwarpet-Belurubane Road.

Power supply has been interrupted in Panya, Emmegundi, Madapura, Haraduru and other places.

People told to shift to safer areas

Virajpet Town Panchayat has issued notices to the people of 66 houses in Arasu Nagar, Malethirike Betta, Ayyappa Betta and Nehru Nagara Betta, which are located in the vulnerable regions.

The people can take shelter in the relief centres. The members of these families have been vaccinated against Covid-19, said Town Panchayat chief officer Chandrakumar.