Rivers in spate as heavy rains lash parts of Karnataka

Bengaluru: Several rivers are in spate following heavy rains lashing many parts of Karnataka, especially villages located near Tunga and Tungabhadra rivers, officials said.

At least one lakh cusecs of water was released from Tungabhadra dam into the Tungabhadra river following heavy downpour in the catchment region and heavy inflow of water in Vijayanagara district.

The Tungabhadra dam with a storage capacity of 1,633 ft already has water level reaching 1,631 ft.

To maintain the balance, one lakh cusecs of water was released, which has created a flood scare among the people living in the lower riparian of Tungabhadra dam.

Officials have sounded an alert for locals located near the course of the river.

Of the 33 floodgates, 30 were opened on Sunday, following which many heritage sites of Vijayanagara dynasty in Hampi have submerged.

Sources in the Water Resources department said Bhadravati, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, Krishna, Cauvery, Kabini, Hemavathi, Supa and Varahi, and their subsidiary rivers are in spate.

The rivers in coastal Karnataka too are swollen and a majority of the dams built on these rivers are to the brim.

According to the meteorology department, a low pressure area over northwest Bay of Bengal off Odisha-West Bengal coasts has resulted into a depression.