Pre monsoon showers create havoc in Udupi Mangaluru

Mangaluru: Due to heavy rains, thunderstorms and lightning a large number of houses have been damaged and four deaths have been reported in the coastal districts.

An elderly woman was buried alive after the wall in her house collapsed. In another case, Mukta Bai (80) from Kodialbail in the city lost her life after falling into water. Mukta, who was sick and bed-ridden, was compelled to make an attempt to escape when rainwater entered her house and water level kept on increasing. When water level reached up to the height of her cot, she tried to get down, but lost her balance and drowned.

A student was washed away by water when she was returning home. In another incident in Karkala taluk, a member of Bailoor gram panchayat (GP) died due to lightning.

Nidhi (9), a fourth standard student of Ganapati School at Padubidri, was washed away by flood water when she was crossing a minor bridge over Patla stream near her home.

Lightning struck a member of Bailoor FP in Karkala taluk in the early hours of Tuesday May 29. The GP member was deep asleep at her home when lightning caused her instant death. The deceased happened to be Sheela Nalike (35). Her husband, Bhaskar Panara, who was sleeping by the side of Sheela, survived although he too felt shocks of lightning in his hand.

A report about this incident was filed in the town police station, Karkala.