Flood alert for low-lying areas as inflows to Karnataka’s Krishnaraja Sagar and Kabini dams surge

With inflows expected to continue, tourist destinations such as the Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary remained closed because of rising water levels. Officials of Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited have also issued a flood alert as the cumulative outflows from both the dams have exceeded 80,000 cusecs.

Heavy inflows to dams such as Almatti, Tungabhadra and Narayanapura in the Krishna river basin also continue, causing fears of a possible flood in low-lying areas around the Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers.

For catchment areas of the Krishna in Maharashtra, the India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert till July 25, indicating possibilities of increase in inflows—especially to the Almatti dam.

The spell of very heavy rain—witnessed between July 15 and 21, during which multiple red alerts were issued for Karnataka’s coastal and Malnad districts—is expected to subside in the coming week. A yellow alert for heavy rainfall, however, will remain in place for these districts, according to the IMD.

Rainfall between July 13 and 20 averaged almost double the normal, according to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Cell.

Overall during the current monsoon season, from June 1 to July 20, the state received 464 mm of rain against a normal of 373 mm—an excess of 24 per cent. Coastal districts received 1,230 mm of rain against an average of 743 mm—65 per cent excess—while Malnad districts received 590 mm against an average of 389 mm—52 per cent excess. South interior Karnataka districts received 69 mm of rain against a normal of 48 mm—43 per cent excess—and north interior Karnataka received 85 mm of rain against a normal of 71 mm—20 per cent excess.

Bengaluru Urban district received 61 mm of rain against a normal of 54 per cent—13 per cent excess.