The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rains in Karnataka until July 10 and issued a red warning for the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, and Udupi. Karnataka’s capital Bengaluru woke up to drizzles on the morning of July 6, and commuters faced trouble as waterlogging in parts of the city led to traffic jams. Meanwhile, fishermen have been alerted not to venture into the sea. It is predicted that the Uttara Kannada district will witness thunderstorms with heavy winds.
One person lost his life in the Dakshina Kannada district on Wednesday, July 5, due to heavy rain, and the IMD has issued a red warning to Uttar Kannada, and an orange warning to seven districts namely Belgaum, Haveri, Shivamogga, Udupi, Chikmagalur, Dakshin Kannada, and Kodagu. A yellow warning has been issued to five districts - Gulbarga, Raichur, Gadag, Dharwad, and Davangere.
Heavy rain will lash Belagavi, Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Kalaburgi, Raichur, Chikmagalur, Davanagere, Kodagu, Shivamogga, and Vijayanagar districts. Mysuru, Ramnagar and Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Kolar are also expected to witness downpours.
The farming community has been awaiting monsoon rains, which have now arrived in the state, bringing cheers to the community. Meanwhile, the dams and water reservoirs in the state, which were dried due to lack of rain, have started filling up. The water level in the KRS dam has reached 10.17 tmc. This time last year, the water level stood at 34.06 tmc. The recorded inflow is 1,249 cusecs. Alamatti dam recorded 19.24 tmc of water against 50.04 tmc feet of water storage last year. Tungabhadra dam, with 259 cusecs of water inflow, has 3.07 tmc of water following initial rain. At the same time, last year, the dam had 50.7 tmc of water.
The Linganamakki dam has recorded an inflow of 9,237 cusecs of water, and the Kabini reservoir is seeing an inflow of 3,431 cusecs of water following incessant rains. Bhadra dam is seeing 2,397 cusecs of water inflow, Harangi dam is witnessing 1,518 cusecs of inflow and Supa dam is seeing an inflow of 1,736 cusecs of water. The Varahi and Malaprabha dams are yet to receive water inflow, according to authorities.
(With IANS inputs)