Heavy rain throws normal life out of gear in Belthangady

Heavy rains lashed Belthangady taluk in Dakshina Kannada district on Saturday, inundating several areas, especially Mundaje, Charmadi, Neriya, Kalmanja and Killuru, and throwing normal life out of gear.

The district administration temporarily closed the Laila-Killuru road after it was submerged in several places.

The Netravathi, Mrutyunjaya, Phalguni and Somavathi rivers were in spate in the taluk.

Reports reaching here said a landslip brought traffic on the Mundaje-Dharmasthala road to a standstill, disrupting normal life. A road at Mannasanka near Dharmasthala was also submerged.

Rainwater inundates an arecanut plantation at Ujire following heavy rain in Belthangady taluk on Saturday.
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Floodwater entered arecanut plantations and some houses in Somanthadka. Farms in Mundaje, Puduvettu, Killuru, Shirlalu, Charmadi, Neriya, and Sulkerimogru were partially submerged.

Kukke Subrahmanya

Reports said the Snana Ghatta (bathing ghat) at Kukke Subrahmanya was completely submerged for the second consecutive day as the Kumaradhara river was in spate.

Authorities of Kukke Subrahmanya temple kept water in barrels for devotees to take a bath at the bathing ghat.

The ‘devarat katte’, dressing room and washroom at the ‘Snana Ghatta’ were submerged. Temple authorities kept vigil to ensure that devotees did not enter the river for a bath.

According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC), Mundaje recorded 178.5 mm rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 8.30 a.m. on Saturday.

The Dakshina Kannada district administration had declared a holiday for all schools, anganwadis, pre-university colleges, polytechnics and institutions offering ITI courses on Saturday in view of the orange alert issued by the India Meteorological Department, which is valid till 8.30 a.m. on Sunday.

The Dakshina Kannada Disaster Management Authority said 59 electric poles of Mescom were damaged in 24 hours. The district recorded 63.3 mm rainfall against the normal rainfall of 38 mm for the period.

The water level in the Netravathi at Bantwal stood at 8.30 m against the danger level of 9 m. The water level in Uppinangady in the same river was 29.20 m against the danger level of 31.5 m.

A huge tree lies uprooted at Chittadi in Udupi district following heavy rain on Saturday.
| Photo Credit:
UMESH S. SHETTIGAR

Rainfall in Udupi

According to the office of the Udupi Deputy Commissioner, Udupi district recorded 57.7 mm rainfall in 24 hours. Two houses were partially damaged, and horticultural crops of two farmers were damaged in the district.

Nadpalu in Karkala taluk of Udupi district recorded 180 mm rainfall in 24 hours.