Heavy rains lash coastal Karnataka

Heavy rains continued to lash the coastal district of Dakshina Kannada in Karnataka on Friday causing havoc and disrupting vehicular movement in different parts of the region.

Two women were trapped in a house at Nandavaragumpu of Sajipamunnuru village in Bantwal as part of a hill caved in on the house in the early hours of the day, police said.

One of them, Shafa (20), was rescued and the operation to save the other woman Zareena (49) is in progress, sources said.

Sources in the district disaster management authority said 53 people affected by rains were evacuated to safer places. Two relief camps have been opened in Mulky taluk and one each in Mangaluru and Bantwal taluks.

Sources said the vehicular movement on the Puttur-Panaje Road in the district came to a halt after a low-lying bridge at Chelyadka was completely submerged on Thursday.

The Kumaradhara river in Kukke Subrahmanya was nearly full and the bathing ghat beside the temple is almost submerged.

Reports from various parts of the district said 29 houses have been damaged in the rains during the last two days. Electricity poles and lines were also destroyed at different locations, sources said.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological department has issued red alert for the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada on Friday and an orange alert for Saturday.

The district administrations of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi have declared holidays for educational institutions on Friday.