Kalaburagi
Heavy rains caused Oppateshwar Lake in Madiyala village, Aland taluk, to burst, resulting in massive flooding of homes and leaving villagers in distress. Continuous rainfall over the past week had completely filled the lake, which suddenly cracked during the night, sending water into the village and submerging main roads, temple premises, and other embankments. Over 50 houses were inundated.
Residents, many of whom were asleep when the water entered, panicked and took shelter in temples and schools. Household items, including clothes, togaris, corn, and wheat bags, were soaked and ruined. Families struggled to drain the water, while children and the elderly faced considerable hardship.
Tahsildar Annarao Patil and Taluk Panchayat Executive Officer Manappa Kattimani visited Madiyala village to inspect the damage, during which affected families voiced their grievances. The lake, constructed in 1972 and under the small irrigation department’s jurisdiction, had not been properly maintained, leading to its collapse and the villagers’ suffering. Activist Bhimashankar Madiyala demanded immediate emergency relief, including cereals and groceries for the affected families.
The bursting of the village pond also damaged farmers’ crops, including bananas, togaris, sugarcane, vegetables, and other horticultural produce. Farmers urged officials to visit the fields and assess the losses.
Meanwhile, Bhusanur village has also been affected by continuous rains, with houses flooded and emergency measures underway to provide essential items to affected families, according to Tahsildar Annarao Patil.