Heavy Rains Batter Karnataka; Bridges Submerged and Villages Cut Off

August 21, 2025

Heavy rainfall across multiple districts in Karnataka disrupted daily life and prompted precautionary evacuations as major reservoirs neared their maximum storage. The downpour continued through Dharvad, Haveri, Gadag, and Uttar Kannada, causing damage to homes and creating flood-like conditions.

Weather and river conditions
Intense rainfall from the Western Ghats fed rising water levels in the Krishna River, with inflows from Maharashtra contributing to the surge. Following the release of 1.60 lakh cusecs from the Narayanpur reservoir, the Sheelhalli bridge was submerged, severing road connectivity to affected areas. Villages along the riverbank faced flood threats as several routes were cut off.

Bridges and access
The inundation of the Sheelhalli-Hanchinal bridge left villages such as Kaddaragaddi, Yarigodi, and Hanchinal isolated. Residents were forced to undertake a 45-kilometre detour via Jaladurga to reach taluk headquarters, according to officials.

Forecast and alerts
IMD issued a yellow alert for Thursday in parts of Karnataka, including Bidar, Bijapur, Belgam, Shimoga, and Chikmagalur, warning of moderate to heavy rainfall. Some regions were not under any warning.

Dam releases and storage
Heavy inflows from the Western Ghats prompted dam management actions, with all 30 gates of the Basavasagar Dam opened and 17 gates of the Gurusanagi Barrage raised. By Wednesday, major reservoirs approached capacity: Almatti Dam at full storage (123.08 TMC), Tungabhadra reservoir at 76.91 TMC of 105.79 TMC total, and Narayanapura reservoir at 33.31 TMC.

Impact on communities and agriculture
Belagavi’s Malaprabha river basin experienced significant flooding, with videos showing vehicles swept away by floodwaters. In Bidar, water entered the Anantha Pradmanabha temple. Farmers reported crop losses across approximately 1.21 lakh hectares, including crops such as toor dal, black gram, and soybean, intensifying the rural distress.

IMD predicts widespread rainfall across Karnataka for the next week, with heavy showers expected in coastal and northern interior districts. Northern Belagavi is anticipated to see strong rainfall and winds, while several districts may experience light to moderate rain. Continuous rain is anticipated across coastal and interior parts of the state through August 25.