Heavy rains that lashed parts of Arsikere taluk on Monday night threw normal life out of gear. Many houses were flooded in the town, agricultural lands were inundated in the rural areas and a few roads damaged. The vehicular movement has been hit in parts of the taluk due to heavy rains.
The taluk recorded an average of 51.2 mm of rainfall on Monday, against the normal of 5.1 mm expected on the day. Murundi village in the taluk recorded the highest of 145 mm of rainfall. The tank at Murundi is full to the brim for the first time in 10 years. The road that connects Murundi and Yadapura has been damaged, affecting the travellers on the road that connects to Jenukal Siddeshwara Betta. Vast tracts of coconut farms have remained in water in the area.
A four-wheeler and two bikes were stuck on Hassan-Arsikere road near the town. The local people removed them from the water on Tuesday morning. The railway station and bus stand were also flooded. The residents of low-lying areas – Malleshwaram, Subrahmanya Nagar, Kalanakoppalu and other adjacent localities were badly hit as many houses were flooded.
Arsikere MLA K.M. Shivalinge Gowda visited the rain-hit areas on Tuesday. Many people complained to him that the delay in constructing the drain was the cause of flooding in their localities. They also alleged that the officers had not bothered to visit their areas. The MLA called up officers over the phone and took them to task. Arsikere tahsildar Vidya Vibha, City Municipal Council commissioner Basavaraj Shiggavi and others also reached the spot and listened to the public.
The tahsildar told the media that a report on the damage caused due to the rains would be prepared soon and submitted to the government.
