India, Sept. 29 -- Days of torrential rain and massive inflows from Maharashtra's reservoirs left large parts of northern Karnataka reeling, as rivers overflowed and bridges went under water, severing connections across several districts and displacing thousands of families.

The Bhima river, swollen by releases from the Sina, Veer, and Ujani reservoirs in Maharashtra, inundated stretches of National Highway 50 near Jewargi, disrupting a crucial link between Kalyana Karnataka and the rest of the state. At Kattisangavi, river water rose level with the highway bridge before submerging it, forcing officials to halt all traffic, including ambulances and newspaper supply vehicles. By Saturday night, passengers stranded on either side of the br...