Daijiworld Media Network - Belagavi

Belagavi, Oct 22: Three people were killed as heavy rain pounded north Karnataka, triggering floods for the second time this year in the region on Monday, October 21.

The region is yet to recover from the devastating August blow.

In Hayed, around 35 passengers were rescued from a bus caught in floodwaters. The private bus, proceeding from Bengaluru to Gadag, was stranded below a railway under bridge near Savanur. Fire and emergency services rescued the passengers from the bus using boats.

In Hirekerur, tragedy struck a poultry farm as 1,500 chickens were killed after rainwater entered the farm.

The World Heritage Site of Hampi, which was submerged in August this year, is in peril again with River Tungabhadra flowing full. Close to 60,000 cusecs of water is being released from the Tungabhadra dam in Hospet, forcing authorities to issue a red alert for villages on the banks of the river.

Belagavi district is also badly hit with several villages marooned and roads under water. Incessant rain in the catchment areas of River Krishna in neighbouring Maharashtra has made the people anxious.

Bus service on Ramadurga-Belagavi Road has been suspended as most of the route is underwater. Ramadurga bus stand has also been inundated.

A KSRTC bus was trapped near Vantamuri in Hukkeri taluk after the road caved in. However, there were no casualties as the passengers managed to alight from the bus.

Close to 1,71,000 cusecs of water is being released into River Krishna from the Narayanapura reservoir in Raichur district, leading to floods in the villages on the banks of the river.

Hassan, Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu districts experienced heavy rains on Monday.

Meteorologists at the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) said that October month has already received excess rainfall.

"While 50 mm to 100 mm rainfall is normal in October, a few of the places have received up to 150 to 160 mm rainfall. In Dharwad and Davanagere districts, there was rainfall of up to 50 to 60 mm in the last two days," said Dr G S Srinivasa Reddy, Director of KSNDMC.

The IMD has predicted heavy rain throughout this week for most of the state. Udupi and Dakshina Kannada will also get moderate to heavy rains, says the forecast.