Heavy rain wreaks havoc in Udupi district

Heavy rain in Udupi left a trail of destruction with low-lying areas remaining marooned on Sunday.

The rain that lashed since Saturday noon, inundated several places in Udupi, Brahmavar and Kaup taluk.

The fire service personnel, coast guard and local residents engaged in shifting the flood-affected people to the safer locations from midnight.

On Sunday morning, the NDRF team that arrived from Mangaluru rescued 2,874 people from 785 families from the affected areas. The district administration has arranged lodging and food for 1,201 people who were rescued.

Swarna, Seetha, Shambavi rivers and Puthige, Madisalu, Ennehole rivulets are in spate in the district. With the river overflowing on the road, NH 169 A that connects Udupi and Shivamogga was closed for a few hours.

Several houses have collapsed and trees were uprooted in the district with normal life coming to a standstill.

Three fishing boats capsized near Malpe, but, all the fishermen saved themselves by sitting on the boulders.

In Udupi, Rajangana parking area, Geetamandir, Mathura hotel near Sri Krishna Temple was inundated.

Ambalpadi, Bannanje, Kalsanka, Udupi-Manipal main stretch, Kukkehalli, Mudusagri, Kodavur, Kinnimulki, Adi Udupi, Kunjibettu Bailakere, Badagabettu, Puttige Vidyapeeta, Alevoor, Perupede, Manipura, Korangrapadi and Udyavara remain underwater.

In Karkala, several houses at Yennehole, Yerlapadi, Hermunde, Marne and Sooda remained submerged. The national highway connecting Karkala-Ajekaru was damaged and traffic was disrupted.

Several areas in Kaup and Brahmavar remain inundated. The villages Peru, Palimaru, Kote, Mattu, Yenagudde and Mudabettu in Kaup, Havanje, Neelavara and Heroor in Brahmavar have been flooded.

Altogether, 77 villages in low lying areas of the district have been affected by the flood, said officials.

Relief centres have been opened at 31 places. Safety teams have been formed at taluk and village levels. The 22 member NDRF team from Mysuru and 30-member team from Mangaluru have carried out rescue operations.

Puthige Moola Mutt situated on the banks of the water body too felt the impact of the flood. The students at the Mutt shifted the cattle from the gaushala to safer locations. The farmland of Shiroor Moola Mutt was marooned in the flood.

Over 100 houses remained marooned in Padugrama, Mulooru, Mallaru, Uliyaragoli, Belapu, Majooru, Pangala, Innanje, Kuthyaru villages.

With Kamini stream overflowing in Padubidri, the low-lying areas have been affected.

ZP member Shashikanth Padubidri shifted the affected using a boat.

The incomplete work on the national highway too created an artificial flood in Padubidri.

Belmaru has turned into an island with the road connecting the village remaining underwater.

After 20 years, Madisalu rivulet flooded and water has entered inside Vishnumurthy temple at Aroor.

A minor bridge that connects Tenkamane in Kadoor village has been washed away in the flood.

Record rain

Airodi in Udupi taluk experienced a record rainfall with 44.9 cm. Brahmavar received 35.2 cm, Udupi-42.2 cm, Kaup-33.6 cm and Karkala-25.4 cm rainfall.

Baje dam that supplies water to Udupi town is full and the authorities are unable to lift water from the dam. As a result, water supply to Udupi was disrupted. Two persons who were stranded in Baje dam area were rescued by the NDRF personnel.

Appeal for chopper

MP Shobha Karandlaje and District In-charge Minister Basavaraj Bommai have requested for helicopters for the rescue operation.

The choppers will be pressed into service if the rain continues to batter Udupi.

Deputy Commissioner G Jagadeesha said that the worst affected areas were Bellampalli, Uppooru, Hiriyadka, Aroor, Bairampally and parts of Udupi town.

He urged people residing near the river banks and Kudrus to move to safer places.

The navy and coast guard personnel were engaged in rescue operations along with NDRF, added the deputy commissioner.

The IMD has sounded a red alert in the district for two more days.