Ballari experienced heavy rainfall on Friday afternoon, resulting in waterlogging in low-lying areas and causing significant inconvenience to residents. The sudden downpour turned streets into waterways, disrupting traffic and causing drains to overflow, which created chaotic conditions. Residents and shopkeepers in affected zones faced water entering their homes and commercial establishments, while two-wheeler riders struggled to navigate the flooded roads. Additionally, dirty water from the Rajakaluve canal inundated slums and low-lying areas, further exacerbating the situation.
Power supply in the city was disrupted immediately after the rains began. Electricity was cut off at 1:30 pm and was restored by 6:00 pm. In Sandur taluk, heavy rain fell for a short duration on Friday in the town and surrounding villages, including Krishnanagar, Bhujanganagar, Donimalai, and Taranagar.
In Kampli taluk, rain accompanied by thunder and high winds lasted for approximately 30 minutes on Friday. The paddy crops in the Itagi and Sanapur areas, which are within the Tungabhadra river basin and were ready for harvest, were flattened by the rain. Farmer Itagi Maulasab stated that he had spent approximately ₹40,000 to cultivate RNR 1638 variety paddy on leased land, which was scheduled for harvest in 15 days. Due to the damage, he now faces an additional cost of ₹2,500 per acre for harvesting the fallen crops.
In Kurugodu taluk, the rain on Friday destroyed paddy crops that were at the harvesting stage in villages including Orayai Cross, Somalapur, H. Veerapur, Chitaginahalu, Mushtagatte, and Genikehalu. Farmers who expected to harvest the crops in the next two weeks to sell at good prices were disappointed. Agriculture Officer Devaraj from the Farmer Contact Center noted that farmers used more pesticides and chemical fertilizers than necessary this year to protect crops from drought and heat, causing the RNR variety paddy to grow taller than usual, which made it susceptible to falling over in the sudden rain and wind. Tahsildar Narasappa, along with staff from the revenue and agriculture departments, visited the damaged fields to inspect the extent of the loss. Narasappa stated that information regarding the damages is being collected from farmers to report to the district administration.
