Hubballi: This year, the monsoon has claimed the lives of 80 people since June 1 besides damaging horticulture and agriculture crops cultivated on over 1.13 lakh hectares of land in the state.
The heavy rain impacted 277 villages and 2,217 houses were damaged completely. More than 400 cattle and other animals lost their lives due to the rain.
According to the documents provided by the revenue department (Disaster Management), Uttara Kannada, Udupi and Belagavi are the worst affected districts due to excess rain, flood and heavy wind.
Dakshina Kannada, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, and Kodagu are the other districts reported damages to properties and human lives due to excess rainfall. The state received an average rainfall of 920 mm of rainfall against its normal monsoon rainfall of 779 mm of rainfall between June 1 and September 21.
Of the 80 deaths, 24 were due to house collapse and 27 washed away in overflowing rivers across the state. Ten people lost their lives after being struck by lightning, while an equal number of people died after trees fell on them.
Eight people, including two children, were killed in a landslide that stuck in Shirur village in Ankola taluk. Another person lost his life to a landslide in Udupi.
Uttara Kannada district has reported the highest number of rain-related deaths (18) this year; it includes landslide victims and six who were washed away in the river, two each in a house collapse and tree fall.
Belagavi district, which reported flooding in several parts, reported the death of 11 people due to rain-related incidents. Eight drowned in water bodies, while two died after trees fell on them. One died in a house collapse.
In 2023-24, 71 people died due to rain-related incidents between June and September; similarly, in 2022-23, 163 people died in rain-related accidents and there were 113 casualties in 2021-22.
The revenue department, according to the preliminary field survey, has estimated that standing agriculture crops on nearly 1.06 lakh hectares of land and horticulture crops on 7,552.38 hectares have been damaged due to excess rainfall and flooding.
The revenue department officials said the assessment of overall loss to the state due to excess rains has not been calculated yet. The joint survey of the revenue and agriculture departments is expected to be done in October.