Trees uprooted as heavy rains continue to lash Karnataka districts

Heavy rains continued to lash several parts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts in Karnataka on Thursday. Widespread rains were observed in 13 districts including Dakshina Kannada, Udupi Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru.

Manipura Gram Panchayat in Udupi district recieved 311 mm rainfall during a period of 24 hours, the highest in the state, according to data from the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC). Palladka village received a maximum rainfall of 274.5 mm in the Dakshina Kannada district. The Dakshina Kannada district recorded an average rainfall of 192.8 mm and Udupi recorded an average rainfall of 124.6 mm.

Police and emergency services personnel are on high alert in the Udupi district as low-lying areas including Udupi mutt premises and Rajangana continue to remain waterlogged. Meanwhile, people in Moodunidumburu and Nitturu were shifted to safer locations due to flood-like situation.

As per the data provided by KSNDMC, Samse in Mudigere in Chikkamagaluru district witnessed a rainfall of 108 mm. There was a rainfall of 105.5 mm in Ballamavati of Madikeri in Kodagu district.

Rains intensified in Kodagu after last night. Houses in Bhoodana paisari in Kambibane in Suntikoppa were damaged after trees were uprooted due to gusty winds.

Vehicular traffic has been affected as a tree fell on Madikeri-Mysuru road.

Orange alert has been sounded in Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu districts.

In Uttara Kannada, coastal taluks of Karwar and Bhatkal faced the maximum brunt of the torrential rain. The district administration said that Davalamakki village in Karwar taluk received 23 cm of rain in the last 24 hours, while Mundalli in Bhatkal taluk received 22 cm of rainfall. Meanwhile, Vailwada, Madikeri, Kadra, Bhatkal, Kaikini and others received over 20 cm of rainfall.

While there are no reports of human casualty in the Uttara Kannada district on Thursday, a bridge connecting Mylari village to the mainland has been damaged. Locals along with the help of NGOs have made a temporary arrangements for the residents of this village.

The continuous rainfall has also led to the overflowing of Gangavalli River in several places. A temporary footbridge that residents of Gullapur-Heggere had built has been washed away.

Several trees have been uprooted in parts of Sirsi and others parts of the taluk due to heavy rains.

In Mangaluru, many vehicles parked near Sharada Vidyalaya at Devinagar in Talapady on city's outskirts were damaged after a sheet installed atop a six-storey building crashed to the ground due to gutsy winds. Schools remained closed due to district administration's orders. Trees at as many as 17 places in Mangaluru and Bantwal were uproooted, damaging houses, buildings and blocking roads. No loss of lives had been reported so far.

In Udupi, people in Bailakere, Kalsanka and surrounding places were shifted to a safer location after their houses were inundated with the storm drain on Thursday morning.

Normal life was thrown out of gear as flood waters entered houses in Moodanidamburu, Matadabetty, Bailakere and surrounding areas. Residents in Kadipatna in Padubidri were also shifted to safer places after their houses were inundated with rain water.

According to IMD's forecast, heavy rainfall is likely to continue in the coastal districts for the next two days.