Rains recede in Kodagu but authorities on alert, district-in-charge minister to tour flood-affecfed areas

Kodagu district on alert as heavy rains cause landslides, evacuations, and damage, with flood warnings in neighboring areas.

There was a temporary reprieve from rains in Kodagu as on Wednesday (July 31) morning but the district administration continues to be on alert with rescue teams deployed at places vulnerable to floods and inundation.

The rains on July 30 were particularly heavy and 119 people were shifted or evacuated to safer places while the district experienced 12 incidents of landslips. In all, 166 houses have been damaged due to this year’s monsoon so far. Kodagu received 60.87 mm of rainfall for the 24-hour period ending 8.30 a.m. of July 31 against 114.8 mm of rains received during the previous 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the district in-charge minister N.S. Boseraju will tour the flood affected areas of Kodagu on July 31 and August 1 to take stock of the situation.

The outflow from the Harangi reservoir was at the rate of 19,205 cusecs at 8 a.m. on July 31 and this will augment the inflow into the KRS dam in the downstream.

The outflow from the KRS which had increased to 1.5 lakh cusecs on July 30 night was reduced to 1.07 lakh cusecs by July 31 morning. But sources in the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd (CNNL) said that this was to ensure that the low-lying areas are not inundated. As the inflow into the dam was in excess of 95,000 cusecs and the reservoir was full, the rate of outflow could be increased anytime depending on the inflow.

The outflow from Kabini reservoir was 70,750 cusecs and the cumulative outflow from both the reservoirs was in excess of 1.75 lakh cusecs. The Kabini joins the Cauvery at T. Narsipura and the villages in the downstream from this confluence point, will bear the brunt of the cumulative discharge.

The district administrations of Mysuru and Chamarajanagar have issued flood warnings and urged the public not to venture near the river banks in view of the lurking danger. Tourists have been barred from visiting the Bharachukki falls and Hogenakkal in Chamarajanagar due to the sheer volume of water in the river and as a precautionary measure, till August 2.