Heavy Downpour in Dakshina Kannada: several areas cut off, rivers in spate

Team Udayavani, Jul 31, 2024, 8:14 AM IST

Image Credit: Vasanth Nayak, Puttur

Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada district faced heavy rainfall throughout Tuesday, leading to widespread flooding in various low-lying areas. Roads and residential areas were submerged, and the rivers surpassed the danger level, threatening several houses.

In response, the district administration declared a holiday for primary, secondary, and pre-university schools on July 31.

The Netravati River overflowed in Uppinangady, merging with the Kumaradhara River near the Sahasralingeshwara Temple. Several houses along the riverbanks in Bantwal taluk were submerged, impacting agriculture fields in Panemangalore, Bantwal, Navoor, Sarapadi, and Maninalkuru.

Road connectivity was disrupted in many places, including Kotekani on Bantwal-Jakribettu Road, B.C. Road’s Bastipadpu, and Aladka areas. Landslides blocked the BC Road-Punjalkatte Highway at several points. Similar disruptions were reported on Mavinakatta-Ajilamogaru Road, affecting agricultural lands in Maninalkuru village.

Flooding occurred at Kumaradhara bathing ghat in Subrahmanya, and Payaswini River in Sullia overflowed. The Kaikamba bridge on the Kadaba-Subrahmanya Highway was submerged, causing further transportation issues.

The district administration took measures to evacuate affected families from Pavuru, Ambli Mogaru, Harekal, Permannuru, and Ullal regions due to the overflow of water from Sarapadi dam. Strong winds damaged over 10 houses in Naringana, uprooted more than 100 trees, and caused a house wall collapse in Shantinagar, Kavoor.

In Mangaluru city, continuous heavy rain caused waterlogging on major roads, affecting vehicle movement.

Ujire: Retaining Wall Collapse

Due to heavy rains, the concrete retaining wall of SDM Hospital in Ujire collapsed, falling on more than 20 two-wheelers parked below. The wall was situated behind the house of Muhammad Ijaz, and the soil has slid up to the vicinity of his house, posing a risk of the house collapsing. The family has taken shelter with relatives.

 National Highway Submerged

The national highway connecting Belthangady to Ujire was flooded from the Lower Market petrol pump to Benaka Hospital, submerging two-wheelers and halting traffic for several hours.

Floods in Bantwal After 5 Years

The Netravati River overflowed on Tuesday, flooding low-lying areas in Bantwal and Pane Mangalore, submerging homes and disrupting traffic. The water level reached 10.6 meters by night. Bantwal MLA Rajesh Naik visited affected areas, and families were relocated under Tahsildar Archana D. Bhat’s supervision. BJP leader R. Ashok will inspect the damage on July 31.

MP’s Appeal for Caution:

MP Brijesh Chowta urged the public to remain cautious due to heavy rain and follow local administration’s directives. He instructed district officials to stay prepared for emergencies and requested the public to report any urgent situations to the control room.

DC’s Advisory:

The Deputy Commissioner advised the public to avoid low-lying areas, lakes, riverbanks, and seashores. Fishermen have been cautioned against venturing into the sea. Precautionary measures were taken in flood and landslide-prone areas, and the public was asked to inform local authorities about any incidents.

Landslide at Kettikallu:

A landslide occurred at Kettikallu Hill near Vamanjoor, with partial collapses reported. Municipal Commissioner Anand C.L. assured that emergency measures were being implemented.

Priority Measures to Manage Flood Situation:

Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, after a video conference with district officials, stressed the need for priority actions to manage the flood situation. He directed the evacuation of residents from submerged areas and readiness of emergency response teams.

NDRF and SDRF Teams Ready:

NDRF and SDRF teams were stationed in the district for monsoon preparedness. The NDRF team, led by Deepak Kumar, was based in Puttur taluk, while SDRF teams were stationed in Subrahmanya and Mangaluru.

Damage to Electric Poles: Heavy winds and rain caused damage to 143 electric poles in the district over two days.

Holiday for Schools: The district administration declared a holiday for all schools and pre-university colleges in Dakshina Kannada on July 31 due to the red alert issued by the meteorological department.

Emergency Contact Numbers:

Mangaluru: 0824-2220587
Ullal: 0824-2204424
Bantwal: 08255-232500
Puttur: 08251-230349
Belthangady: 08256-232047
Sullia: 08257-231231
Moodbidri: 08258-238100
Mulki: 0824-2294496