As many 13 low-lying bridges and roads have come underwater owing to the swelling of the Krishna and its tributary, the Doodhganga in Chikkodi, Raibag and Athani taluks of the district in 24 hours as recorded at 8 a.m. on Thursday.
According to official sources here, the Kallol-Yadur, the Karadga-Bhoj, the Bhojwadi-Konnur, the Sidnal-Akkol, the Jatrat-Bhivashi, the Malikwad-Dattawad, the Examba-Danwad bridges and the Sadalga-Borgaon barrage-cum-bridge in Chikkodi taluk; the Kudchi-Uugar bridge and the Raibag-Chinchli road in Raibag taluk; the Ugar K.H.-Ugar B.K., Jhunjuhrwad-Tubchi and Ugar B.K.- Kusnal roads in Athani taluk have been affected and traffic cut off.
People have been advised to use alternative roads and avoid venturing into these affected roads and bridges, officials at the D.C. Office said.
The river received copious inflow leading to increased levels due to good rainfall in its catchment areas during last fortnight, which however, has come as much needed relief to the villages along the banks of the river which were facing acute drinking water shortage throughout the summer this year.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Urban Water Supply & Drainage Board Executive Engineer Prasanna Murthy said that the water level at the Rakaskop dam across the Markandeya river, the main source of drinking water for Belagavi, had further improved by 1.50 ft during last 24 hours.
So far, the level at the dam had increased by 23.50 ft. The dam is still 10.90 ft short to the brim.
Also, sources in the Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited said that the inflow into the Raja Lakhmagouwda dam across the Ghataprabha had doubled in the last three days and was receiving 22,833 cusecs as recorded on Thursday morning.
Official sources said that 1,727.70 mm of rainfall was received till July 14 morning as against 1,971.00 mm, the normal rainfall for July.
