Red Alert sounded in Kodagu

District likely to receive over 204.5mm rain between Thursday and Friday

Madikeri:  Just when the people of Kodagu — especially from those areas that have been devastated in the recent and last year’s floods and landslides — thought that rains has given them a break, heavy rains have again started pounding the district since the last 48 hours. This rain is set to destroy the standing paddy crop and if it rains continuously, coffee crop too will be affected.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert in Kodagu, predicting heavy to very heavy rains with extremely heavy rains at isolated places.

Following heavy rains in Kodagu, the outflow from Harangi Reservoir has been stepped up to 15,000 cusecs and subsequently, there is also an increased outflow from the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam which is releasing 17,000 cusecs of water.

C.S. Patil, Director, IMD, Bengaluru, said that from Thursday over the next five days, Coastal and South Interior Karnataka would receive widespread rains, with South Interior Karnataka receiving fairly heavy rains.  “The Southwest Monsoon is active right now and a low pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is causing the rains with increased wind speed,” he said.

“From October 15, the North East monsoon is expected to set in which will cover South Interior Karnataka, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala,” Patil said.

Kodagu has been witnessing heavy rains since Sunday night. According to the weather forecast released by the Kodagu District Disaster Management Authority, the district is likely to receive over 204.5mm rain between Thursday and Friday.

In a press release, Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy said, following the alert by the IMD, the schools and colleges will remain closed on Sept.5. She also asked tourists and people not to venture to hilly region areas since there might be landslides. The DC has asked officials to be ready to meet any eventuality.

Water levels in Cauvery, Lakshmanatheertha, Kakkattupole and Konganapole have increased dramatically since the last two days and the Kodagu Administration has asked the people on river banks to move to safer places. Relief centres, if need be, will be set up.

River Cauvery continued to swell after continuous rain in Madikeri and Kushalnagar.

Kodagu recorded 46.07mm rain from Tuesday 8.30 am to Wednesday 8.30 am. According to officials, the overall rain recorded in Kodagu this year is 2,283.9mm. In the last 24 hours, Madikeri, Somwarpet and Virajpet recorded 55mm, 32.9mm and 50.5mm rain respectively.

Normal life has been affected and the rivers Cauvery and Lakshmanatheertha are in spate. People living in the regions vulnerable to calamities have been asked to move to safer locations.

Triveni Sangama in Bhagamandala is full, owing to rain in Brahmagiri region. Bhagamandala-Ayyangeri Road is submerged. In Bethri, River Cauvery is flowing above the danger level.