Heavy rains of up to 15 cm lashed coastal and southern Karnataka, causing rivers to overflow and creating a flood-like situation in villages and towns in the region, said an official on Saturday.

“Heavy rains are being received in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, and Udupi, along with south interior districts of Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, and Shivamogga,” the Director of Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) G.S. Srinivasa Reddy told IANS here.

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Dakshina Kannada received a maximum of 14.9 cm over the last 24 hours, Uttara Kannada 10.5 cm, Udupi district 7.8 cm, Shivamogga district 9.4 cm, and Kodagu 10.2 cm.

Schools and colleges in Dakshina Kannada remained shut on Saturday owing to the heavy rains, an official said.

Heavy rains are likely to continue in the region over the next three days, a weather advisory from the Bengaluru center of India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

With the state’s reservoirs in the Cauvery basin being filled to their maximum capacity due to bountiful rains over the last two months, any additional rains are causing the rivers to overflow, Reddy said.

In the Cauvery basin, Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) reservoir across Cauvery river in Mandya district, Kabini reservoir in Mysuru district across Kabini river, one of the major tributaries of Cauvery, have been filled to their full capacity.

“Due to excessive rains in Wayanad district in north Kerala, Kabini reservoir has received excess water which had to be released with the dam already being full,” Reddy added.

About 80,000 cusecs of rainwater were released from Kabini reservoir, and 59,000 cusecs from KRS reservoir since Friday, Mysuru district Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G. Shankar said.

“People in the low-lying areas in the nearby villages and towns of the reservoirs have been shifted to safe locations with the water being released. Police, fire services, and other district officials are on duty day and night to assist people,” Shankar told IANS.

The released water has flooded several farmlands and roads in the villages and towns of Mysuru district.

There were reports of several houses being submerged in the district and roads being damaged as a result of the water flow.

The IMD, while advising farmers to be prepared for heavy rains in coastal and south interior districts over the next few days, has asked fishermen not to venture into the Arabian Sea due to heavy winds along the Karnataka coast.

Northern Karnataka, which continues to face deficit rainfall, is likely to receive rains over the next few days, according to the weather office.