Flood situation grim in Karnataka with heavy rains, release of water from dams
Bengaluru: The flood situation in Karnataka worsened further on Thursday with several areas in the northern parts of the state inundated due to torrential rains and release of water from major dams.
Yadgir, Raichur, Ballari, Bidar, Vijayapura, Bagalkote, Belagavi, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Gadag, Koppal, Haveri and Dharwad were the worst affected due to floods.
According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre, the floodgates of all the major dams have been opened resulting in water gushing into villages and formation of islands at different places.
Dams which were filled to the brim were Linganamakki, Supa, Varahi, Harangi, Hemavathi, Krishna Raja Sagar, Kabini, Bhadra, Tungabhadra, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, Almatti and Narayanapura.
An overflowing river Bhima has wreaked havoc in Kalaburagi and Yadgir districts whereas water level in Krishna river at Devasugur in Raichur district is rising at an alarming level.
The Central Water Commission too warned that River Bhima at Deongaon Bridge in Afzalpur Taluk of Kalaburagi was rising and "is expected to cross danger level by this evening".
The river in Yadgir district was expected to go very near high flood level by Thursday afternoon.
The Commission has also stated that though the water level of River Kagna at Malkhed in Kalaburagi District was receding, it continued to flow at an alarming level.
According to sources in the Karnataka Disaster Management Authority, as many as 515 animals lost their lives while 4,782 people have been shifted to 36 relief camps opened by the district administration.
The district authorities in Bidar and Vijayapura have opened relief camps for flood-hit people.
The NDRF team rescued people stranded at Haragadde, Karakalagadde in Raichur in the temporary island due to the sudden release of water from the dam across Krishna river due to the rising level.
This is the third wave of floods in the state in the past three months.
Floods had been reported at various places in the state in August and September and on both the occasions, the Central team had visited to inspect rain-related damage.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
