SW Monsoon: Rain and wind create chaos across undivided D.K., Udupi districts

Mangaluru: As the South West Monsoon intensified across Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, heavy rains increased the water level in rivers and wind uprooted trees creating chaos Friday, June 8^th.

Post May 29^th Mangaluru floods; the district administration is on its toes to combat any eventuality following rain. Anticipating heavy rains, the district administrations of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi have declared holiday for schools in the districts for the week end.

Peepal tree falls near Mangaladevi Temple

Following the heavy rains, a huge peepal tree fell near Mangaladevi temple here late on Friday evening and injured 4 people. The injured have been identified as Surekha (63), Praveen Suvarna (49), Naveen (45), and Tejaswini (20). The injured sustained minor injuries and have been admitted to different hospitals.

CCTV footage reveled that as the tree started to fall, people at the spot panicked and started running for their lives.

Wind uproots trees

Since Thursday night, power supply was disrupted at different parts of the district as the wind uprooted trees which fell on the electricity poles. Vehicular movement was disrupted for some time after a huge tree fell on the road at Kumbhakkodu in Aletti of Sullia taluk. However the traffic movement was restored after the Home Guards, Forest Department officials and local residents cleared the tree. A huge tree fell on the house belonging to Babu Mera at Koovenja Bettampady in Puttur.

Road washed away in Belthangady

As Belthangady taluk faced heavy rains, the temporary road connecting Kakkinje-Neriya  collapsed at Bendrala, thus forcing the villagers to travel six-kilometre more to reach their destination. The temporary bridge was built for the villagers as the work on a minor bridge to connect Kakkinge-Neriya is in progress.

Increase in water-levels

In case of any emergency in Uppinangady, the district administration had alerted the disaster management team in Uppinangady to ensure that the communication links with the adjoining places were intact and boats were kept on standby.

The inflow of water to Kumaradhara River has increased due to the continuous rains. The snanagatta at Kukke Subrahmanya has been partially inundated by this increase in water level. The Subrahmanya police have instructed devotees not to enter the river for bathing. A rivulet near Padaka is overflowing as Hariharapallathadka, Kollamogru, Kalmakaru, Balugodu experienced good rainfall.

Rainfall figures

In the last 24 hours, Dakshina Kannada received an average of 120.6 mm rainfall. Mangaluru taluk received highest with 144.6 mm followed by Bantwal—129 mm, Puttur—124 mm, Sullia—121.1 mm and Belthangady—84.5 mm.

Last year on the same day, the district had received 4.4mm of rainfall.