Meanwhile, floods in Madikeri have taken a toll of two lives, of a woman and a worker. Kavitha (38) who went to wash clothes was swept away in the floods in Murnad village, near Madikeri, while Rajesh reportedly jumped into the Lakshmanathirtha in Kottageri village of South Kodagu. Water was reaching the danger mark in the Cauvery Triveni Sangam in Bhagamandala. Power in the area has remained affected for over the last four days.
Farmers depending on the Kabini waters in H D Kote have been staging protests for the last few days demanding the release of water into the canals to save their dying crops due to the delayed monsoon. Authorities had promised to release water from yesterday and the full reach in the reservoir and increasing inflow has helped them to fulfill their promise, which has come as a relief to the farmers.
Farmers were alleging release of water to Tamil Nadu from the Kabini. About 10,000 cusecs had flown down the reservoir last week, bringing down its level to 68 feet, while crops were drying up for want of water in the canals and delayed rains, they complained. However, rains in the Wynad area of Kerala have increased the level by about 12 feet in a week, taking the water level to 80 ft, four feet below the maximum. As the inflow continued to be about 10,000 cusecs, water was released from Monday midnight into the canals.
The level had reached 2,279.28 ft this afternoon, while 2,284 ft is Kabini's maximum level. The discharge has increased to 21,457 cusecs and release to 9,500 cusecs.
With heavy rains continuing in Kodagu, the water level in Krishnarajasagar reservoir has jumped by over three feet within 24 hours, taking the level from 86.65 feet to 90 feet today. The inflow has increased to 24,579 cusecs from 18,362 yesterday. Outflow too has gone up to 8,268 cusecs from 5,108 cusecs.
Coming to know of the release of water from KRS, Rytha Sangha activists blocked the Bangalore-Mysore highway yesterday at Mandya, demanding the release of water into the canals.
Level in Harangi reservoir was also rising, with the increasing inflow. Today's level was 2,852 ft as against the full level of 2,859 ft, an increase of nearly 11 feet in about 48 hours. The inflow was 11,298 cusecs and discharge 4,500 cusecs.
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Rains over the last few days have increased the 2014 annual ranfall coverage to 90% till July 14, helping to rejuvenate the drying crops in the district. Rainfall recorded is 334.7 mm against the normal 363.9 mm. So far this month, 60.5 mm of rain has occurred as against the normal of 65.4 mm.
The area sown so far this monsoon season had expanded to 217,436 hectares as against the targeted 419,695 hectares (52%) -- 209,428 hectares in the rain-dependent area and 8,008 hectares in the irrigated area, said Agriculture Joint Director M Mahanteshappa.