Unyielding rain, floods leave Karnataka's coastal districts, Malnad on edge

The coastal districts and Kodagu continued to bear the brunt of unrelenting downpour. Multiple landslides, fragile hills, overflowing rivers, crumbling roads and power infrastructure have left the regions on the edge.

The vehicular movement on Bengaluru-Mangaluru highway is badly hit. While the Shiradi Ghat is out of bounds for traffic, Charmadi Ghat road is partially open for traffic. Hundreds of vehicles are stranded on the ghats.

The Kumta-Siddapur state highway 68 has also been closed for traffic following a landslide at Ullurumath in Kumta taluk.

The Sirsi-Kumta NH-766E has been closed for traffic since Thursday after the road was filled with heaps of mud following landslides at Mosalegundi, Sampakanda, Bandal and Burgi.

The overflowing Aghanashini, Gangavali, Gundabala and Varada rivers and Bhaskeri stream have cut off scores of villages besides submerging acres of farmlands in Sirsi, Kumta, Honnavar and Ankola taluk.

Swollen Aghanashini submerged Sarkuli bridge cutting off Golimakki from Sirsi while Varada flooded over 1,500 acres of farmland and several villages on its banks.

Udupi town and parts of the district are inundated with rainwater. Kemtur and surrounding areas under Alevuru GP are reeling under deluge. With the weather department sounding a red alert and high tide warning for Saturday, the district will have to deal with deluge for the next couple of days.

Meanwhile, the neighbouring Dakshina Kannada is facing a flood scare as most of the rivers, including Netravathi, Mrutyunjaya, Phalguni, Nandini and Shambhavi, are flowing above the danger mark. Vast tracts of agricultural land and several minor bridges have gone under the floodwater. At least a dozen houses, in Belthangady taluk alone, have partially or completely damaged due to incessant rain. The bath ghat at Kukke Subrahmanya has gone under Kumaradhara river.

The Parashurama Temple in Nanjangud of Mysuru district is almost submerged following release of water from Kabini dam on Friday.

The flood situation in Kodagu is extremely precarious, where Cauvery, Harangi, Lakshmanatheertha rivers and scores of rivulets have unleashed flood fury. While Napoklu-Murnadu road is submerged, tonnes of mud and rocks litter the Madikeri-Chettalli road. The Somwarpet-Sakleshpur road has also been closed for traffic following the submergence of a bridge between Maageri-Banageri. Traffic on Madikeri-Mangalore highway has been banned from dusk to dawn.

Paddy fields have turned into lakes at Yalluru near Belagavi following heavy rains.

Floodwater has reached Bhagandeshwara temple in Bhagamandala, which witnessed a whopping 220 mm of rain in 24 hours. The overflowing River Cauvery has flooded several residential layouts in Kushalnagar.

At Sringeri in Chikkamagaluru district, Tunga river is still flowing above the danger mark. Kurubakeri, Bharathi Theertha road and Gandhi Maidan have gone under flood waters. The road connectivity between Sringeri-Mangaluru and Magundi-Kalasa has been cut off.

The pond in front of the Omkareshwara Temple in Madikeri is almost full.

In Shivamogga district, Tunga, Bhadra, Sharavathi, Varada and Kumudvati rivers have wreaked havoc on acres of farmland and villages on their banks. Yellappa (50) of Vaddagere village in Sorab taluk has been washed away while fishing in Dandavathi stream.

With IMD issuing a red alert, Hassan district administration has declared a holiday for schools on Saturday in six taluks - Sakleshpur, Hassan, Alur, Belur, Holenarsipur and Arkalgud.