Flood situation still grim in K'taka

Bangalore, Aug 11 (UNI) The flood situation in North Karnataka continued to be grim as discharge of water from the dams of rain-ravaged Maharashtra continued to flow into the already swollen rivers Bhima and Krishna, inundating several villages.

In Gulbarga, the district administration had been put on high alert following water level in river Bhima touching the danger mark of 405.85 m. It was receiving 2.41 lakh cusecs.

About 2,000 people had been shifted to relief centres in the last 48 hours as flood waters entered the areas.

Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey told UNI that 28 villages were surrounded by flood waters and people were being transported to safer places by home guards in mechanised boats. The flood situation was likely to be grim for the next 24 hours, he added.

He informed that all precautionary measures had been taken to avoid any untoward incident in Gulbarga district.

Meanwhile, a 28-year-old man from Maharashtra drowned in river Bhima when he ventured into it to take a holy dip at Devugangapur in Afzalpur, about 50 km from Gulbarga, last night.

Police said Dayanand of Japirpatti village had come on a pilgrimage to Devugangapur to offer prayers at the Lord Dattatreya temple. Efforts were on to trace his body.

The water level in Narayanapur dam stood at 490.20m. The inflow rose to 3.25 lakh cusecs and the same amount was being discharged downstream Jurala dam in Andhra Pradesh.

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