Karnataka rains: Crops destroyed in several districts; IMD issues Yellow alert for 3 days

By Vinaykumar Patil | First Published Oct 22, 2024, 9:36 AM IST

Karnataka has been hit by heavy monsoon rains, causing severe flooding in over 15 districts, including Bengaluru. Widespread crop damage, submerged houses, and infrastructure disruptions have been reported. The IMD has issued yellow and orange alerts, predicting continued heavy rainfall for the next three days.

Karnataka has been battered by heavy monsoon rains, affecting more than 15 districts, including the capital city of Bengaluru, Haveri, Koppal, and Davangere. In response to the downpour, authorities declared a holiday for schools in Bengaluru on Monday. The rains have led to widespread flooding and significant crop damage across the state.

In Haveri district, heavy rains have caused severe flooding in several areas. Baradoor village in Savanur taluk, Kanchinegalur village in Hanagal taluk, and Timmapura in Haveri taluk are among the worst-hit areas, with more than 30 houses submerged in Baradoor alone. Additionally, 28 devotees, who were staying at a monastery on the outskirts of Baradoor and en route to Pandharpur, had to be rescued on Monday after the Bajirayana lake overflowed and flooded the monastery. A care centre has been set up in Baradoor to help the affected.

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In Kanchinegalur, over 50 houses have been submerged due to the flooding. In a tragic incident in Halahalli village of Bidar district, a buffalo was struck and killed by lightning. The animal had been tied under a neem tree when the lightning struck.

Meanwhile, in Ramanagara district, a connecting bridge in Kudur has been submerged, cutting off access to 8-10 surrounding villages. In Uttara Kannada district, over six houses collapsed due to the relentless rains. Mysore also witnessed around three hours of heavy rainfall, leading to waterlogging in low-lying areas, while fallen tree branches caused roadblocks in various parts of the city.

In Chikmagalur district, the situation prompted the district collector to urge tourists planning to visit local attractions to postpone their trips for at least a week.

Crops destroyed

The torrential rains have wreaked havoc on agriculture, with about 36,000 hectares of crops damaged in the past 2-3 days. In Chikkamagaluru alone, 25,000 hectares of groundnut crops have been affected by blight disease. Onion crops across 3,000 hectares have also been severely damaged. In Bellary's Pusulahadgali taluk, the heavy rains have lost over 850 acres of maize.

In the Koppal district, 350 hectares of paddy and 900 hectares of maize, onion, and chilli crops have been destroyed. In Tumkur’s Pavagada, three acres of harvested paddy were completely submerged.

IMD issues Yellow and Orange alerts for 3 days

Despite the ongoing damage, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted more rain across the state for the next three days. Bengaluru, along with other parts of Karnataka, will continue to see heavy rainfall. A yellow alert has been issued for Bengaluru and several other districts, including Haveri, Davangere, Kodagu, Udupi, Tumkur, Bagalkote, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, and Gadag.

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In districts like Chitradurga, the IMD has also forecast heavy rain, prompting the authorities to remain on high alert. Shimoga and Chikmagalur districts, which have been experiencing relentless downpours, are under an orange alert, signalling the possibility of further severe weather in the coming days.

The state remains on edge as rain continues to lash various districts, and authorities work to mitigate the impact on residents and agriculture.

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