Bengaluru: The southwest monsoon continued to be active over the state bringing widespread rains on Saturday. However, the monsoon has gained full vigour in the coastal districts - Uttara Kannada, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada - as heavy to very heavy rainfall brought the region to its knees.
The coastal part of Uttara Kannada has received rain in excess of 200 mm with Manki topping the list with 230 mm. Karwar experienced 220 mm, while Gokarna and Kumta recorded 200 mm each.
Inflow into Shalmala, Varada and Aghanashini rivers has increased owing to the relentless showers in the last few days. Hanamanti lake in Sirsi taluk has breached. Workers who had set up tents on the lake bank have been relocated. Power supply in Karwar was hit due to incidents of tree fall in the town.
Heavy showers in the ghats and coastal region have triggered fear of landslides in vulnerable parts, including the four-lane national highway between Karwar and Kundapur.
The weather department has predicted in excess of 200 mm of rain till June 11 in Uttara Kannada. A red alert has been sounded for the district.
The situation in Udupi district is no different, where several houses were damaged in tree fall incidents. Heavy rain in last few days has submerged vast tracts of agriculture land in Byndoor and Kaup taluks. A few classrooms and office of the government higher primary school at Yedthare Rahutana Katte was flooded. The education department officials, including BEO Nagesh Naik, visited the school and initiated steps to drain rainwater out of the school building.
The compound wall of Shantadurga temple at Nidpalli in Puttur taluk, Dakshina Kannada, caved in on Saturday. Intermittent rains lashed Mangaluru and parts of the district on Saturday.
Waterlogging was reported at PVS Junction, Bejai, Kottara, Rao and Rao Circle causing inconvenience to motorists. In the past 24 hours (ending 8.30 am on Saturday), Paduvari in Byndoor taluk received 145 mm rain. The IMD has sounded red alert for Udupi and Dakshina Kannada for Sunday and Monday.
Many parts of Malnad and north and south interior Karnataka continued to witness intermittent spells of rain on Saturday. Sharp showers, accompanied by thunder and lightning since Friday night, breached lakes, tanks and ponds in Vijayapura district. The water level in Doni river has gone up considerably.