Flooding worsens as excess water is released from KRS, Kabini dams

Mysuru: The flood situation turned from bad to worse on Wednesday as the authorities released 1.5 lakh cusecs of water from KRS dam near Mysuru, while 50,000 cusecs of water is let out of Kabini dam in HD Kote. Cauvery and Kapila rivers are flowing above the danger mark at several places in Mysuru, Mandya and Chamarajanagar districts.The Mysuru district administration has notified 8 villages as flood affected and said 319 persons from 134 families are affected by the floods. Of them, 105 families were affected by the Kapila River. According to the district administration, 8 relief camps, including 7 in Nanjangud have been set up. Hemmige bridge, which connects T Narasipura to Talakadu, was submerged in Cauvery water. Cauvery water flooded Muttinasoge in Periyapatna taluk. The river water has entered the agricultural lands and inundated the roads in the area. Nanjangud, which faced the wrath of Kapila River in mid-July, is again facing the wrath of monsoon fury as the river water has submerged the bathing gath and has flooded the parking lot near the Sri Srikanteshwara Temple. Various temples, including Ayyappa Swami Temple, has been submerged. The river has flooded Mallanamole near Nanjangud forcing the authorities to restrict vehicular movement on inter-state Mysuru-Ooty road. Schools were closed for the day at Nanjangud.Revenue principal secretary Rashmi V Mahesh rushed to Mysuru and visited several places in T Narasipura taluk, where Kapila River joins Cauvery and reviewed the flood situation. Mysuru DC Lakshmikanth Reddy and ZP CEO KM Gayatri accompanied her. The team interacted with the villagers. Entry to waterfalls bannedChamarajanagar DC Shilpa Nag banned the entry of tourists to Shivanasamudra, Bharachukki, Hogenakal and Wellesley Bridge till Aug 2. The officials in Kollegal are on alert as 10 villages are prone to flooding. The officials machinery had tough time in convening villagers in Dasanapura to move to safer places as they refused to move to the relief camp. But the DC met them and convinced them. The rising Cauvery water has flooded Dasanapura, Hale Hampapura, Harale, Mulluru and Hale Anaganahalli. Yennekopplu in Pandavapura taluk in Mandya district was flooded as the KRS dam authorities stepped up the water release. Nimishamba Temple in Sriranapatna is inundated.Outflow from KRS dam stepped up to 1.7 lakh cusecs of water at 8 am. KRS has released this amount of water for the first time this century. The last time it did so in the 1990s. Entry to visitors to KRS dam and Brindavan Gardens banned till Aug 2.