Rain lashes coastal districts DK Udupi declares school holidays

Mangaluru/Udupi/Karwar: Several areas in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada experienced flooding and inundation, putting normal life out of gear. Minor landslides, and overflowing stormwater drains mixed with open sewage were common sights on Tuesday in various parts of Mangaluru, and Udupi cities and more inundation of agricultural fields in the outskirts.

Mangaluru city experienced heavy inundation at Mahaveera Circle, Kottara Circle, and other low lying areas in the city as well outskirts. As a result the traffic was not just slow moving but also huge traffic snarls did take place at Mahaveera Circle that brings traffic from Bengaluru from NH 75 and from Udupi towards Kerala on NH 66. The flood escape road at Jeppinamogaru was also flooded for few hours on Tuesday.

Following the weathermen warning the District administrations of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada have declared holidays for schools and colleges for the next three days.

However, the major rivers like Kali, Sharavathi, Nethravati, Kumaradhara, Swarna and their tributaries are still flowing below normal levels which is still a matter of concern say the district authorities. The Inflow in these rivers have improved from 5000 cusecs to 11,000 cusecs per day against a range of 22,000 to 24,000 cusecs per day in a normal monsoons period.

Several parts of Udupi district experienced abundant rainfall on Monday, as the downpour commenced in the morning and continued throughout the day. While the Karkala region received relatively less rainfall, other areas across the district witnessed substantial precipitation.

According to the latest forecast by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the district can expect continued rainfall on Tuesday and Wednesday. In response to these conditions, the Udupi District Disaster Management Authority has issued an orange alert for July 4, July 5, and July 7, with a yellow alert in effect for July 6 and July 8.

In rain-related incidents, several houses suffered partial damage. Akkayya Poojarthi's house in Airody, Brahmavara, incurred an estimated loss of Rs 25,000. Similarly, the house of Lokayya Poojary in Kanthavara, Karkala taluk, experienced partial damage amounting to approximately Rs 30,000. In Padoor, Kaup, Jalaja Shedthi's house was partially damaged, resulting in an estimated loss of Rs 25,000. Additionally, Basava Handa's house in Ajri, Kundapur, incurred a loss of around Rs 1 lakh due to partial damage. Lastly, the house of Thimma Poojari in Devalkunda, Kundapur, suffered partial damage, leading to an estimated loss of Rs 25,000.

As reported by the Rain Cell at the Deputy Commissioner's office, rainfall measurements in various areas of Udupi district during the 24-hour period ending at 8:30 am on Monday were as follows: Udupi taluk received 99.1 mm of rain, Brahmavara recorded 100.1 mm, Kaup received 79.0 mm, Kundapur witnessed 64.5 mm, Byndoor experienced 76.2 mm, Karkala had 76.4 mm, and Hebri received 77.9 mm of rainfall. Overall, the Udupi district received an average rainfall of 78.3 mm in the past 24 hours, ending at 8:30 a.m. on Monday.

Fishermen have been cautioned against venturing into the sea due to the possibility of rough weather conditions over the next 24 hours. The coastal region is expected to face strong winds ranging from 40-45 to 55 km per hour.