Monsoon fury continues as rain shuts schools, swells rivers

Bengaluru: Continuous heavy rainfall across the state has pushed the state rapidly from drought anxieties into an intensive flood-preparedness operation. Swollen rivers, rising reservoir levels, and widespread landslides have severely disrupted normal life across multiple districts, forcing the state govt to enforce high-alert protocols and close educational institutions in worst-hit pockets.Precautionary holidays were declared for schools, colleges, and anganwadis in several rain-battered taluks, including Belagavi, Khanapura, Sagar, Tirthahalli, Hosanagara, and Sakleshpur. District administrations in Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru also remain on high alert as water bodies continue to swell dangerously.The sudden deluge has triggered massive water management challenges. Heavy inflows filled the Gajanur Tunga reservoir in Shivamogga to capacity, forcing engineers to open all 22 crest gates for the first time this monsoon to discharge nearly 24,000 cusecs into the Tunga river.

The Linganamakki dam received a massive 29,043 cusecs inflow following a direct 128.4 mm downpour, while the Bhadra reservoir recorded an inflow of 8,117 cusecs.The heavy downpour has also extracted a human toll. In Kelur village near Agumbe, emergency personnel launched an intensive search operation for 65-year-old Ramappa, who is feared to have been swept away in the swollen Malathi river after police recovered his clothes and slippers near the riverbank.

Severe infrastructural damage was also reported from the tourist hub of Kodagu, which received 57.2 mm rainfall. A major section of the road adjoining the KSRTC bus stand caved in completely, causing severe traffic gridlocks and stranding public transport buses on steep urban curves. Locals alleged that a half-finished project by the CMC to extend the footpath for street vendors left the soil vulnerable, triggering the collapse.

City Municipal Council President Kalavathi, who visited the site, said that sandbags will be placed as a temporary measure and further action will be taken following a consultation with the concerned engineers.With water levels rising across the Cauvery, authorities have served evacuation notices to residents in low-lying villages, including Guhya, Siddapura, Karadigodu, and Nellihudikeri. The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre has forecast continued heavy downpours, issuing fresh alerts for north interior Karnataka, particularly Belagavi, over the coming days.In the coastal belt, Malavanthige in Belthangady taluk recorded the state’s highest rainfall at 130 mm, closely followed by Belandur in Puttur with 118 mm. Gusty winds uprooted a massive tree across the Mani to Mysuru Road, bringing traffic to a halt for nearly an hour. In neighboring Udupi, Deputy Commissioner Swaroopa TK inspected a critical landslide-hit stretch at Ottinene in Byndoor taluk, stating that a report would be submitted to the govt seeking approval for safety and mitigation works.In Belagavi, the Doodhganga river crossed the danger mark following heavy downpours in the Western Ghats and catchment areas in neighbouring Maharashtra. The river, which had almost dried up just days ago, transformed into a raging torrent, inundating agricultural tracts along its banks and submerging the Mansoor Ali Dargah at Mullanki village in Chikkodi taluk. Authorities are also closely monitoring the Krishna, Malaprabha, and Hiranyakeshi rivers as inflows rise steadily.The continued rainfall has raised hopes for the state govt, which had feared drought year after a deficient June. However, officials say Karnataka still needs at least two more weeks of widespread rainfall to offset the deficit, particularly in several interior Karnataka districts that continue to face below-normal precipitation.