Bhima River floods disrupt life in Kalyana Karnataka, 11-year-old dead
Heavy rain batters Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Bidar and surrounding areas as the Bhima River swells; 36 relief centres opened in Karnataka, 1,500 people evacuated
Incessant rain in Kalyana Karnataka region made the Bhima River flood its banks on Saturday (September 27), disrupting normal life and damaging crops and infrastructure. Relief-and-rescue work has been hastened to help the affected people.
A house collapsed due to heavy rain, killing an 11-year-old boy, Darshan Nagpa Lathura, and injuring his brother in Mahalingapura town of Bagalkote district. The brother is in hospital.
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Rescue operations underway
The downpour primarily affected Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Bidar, Vijayapura, Raichur and Koppal districts.
To make matters, worse, 3.50 lakh cusecs of water were released from Maharashtra’s dams, increasing the flow of the Bhima River and worsening the flood situation in Kalyana Karnataka.
People living in low-lying areas and along riverbanks have been shifted to safer locations. Officials have also reported livestock losses in the rain.
Overflowing rivers washed away roads and bridges in several places, while numerous houses and properties were inundated.
Large tracts of agricultural land were submerged, causing substantial losses to crops such as pulses, cotton, sugarcane and grapes.
Also Read: Heavy rain leads to waterlogging in Hyderabad, two feared washed away
36 relief centres in Kalaburagi
Kalaburagi district in-charge, minister Priyank Kharge, during a visit to affected areas, said, “incessant rains and overflowing rivers in Maharashtra and Karnataka caused immense hardship to 36 villages in Kalaburagi. Our priority is the safety of our people.”
In a post on ‘X’, he said the state government had deployed the SDRF and all available resources to shift families to higher grounds.
“We have opened 36 relief centres where over 1,500 people are receiving freshly cooked meals and shelter,” he added.
The district administration, along with volunteers, was working tirelessly to protect both people and livestock during this crisis, he further said.
(With agency inputs)