Rain pounds Mangaluru, disrupts normal life across Dakshin Kannada district

Mangaluru: Incessant rains throughout the night resulted in the death of as many as eight people across the Dakshina Kannada district on Friday.

An elderly woman and three children were killed in separate landslides that occurred in the wee hours in Ullal taluk. 65-year-old Prema Kanthappa Poojary, her two grandchildren Aryan (3) and Arush (2) were killed when the landslide caved in on the house at Pambada Hitthilukodi near Montepadavu in Ullal taluk. 10-year-old Fathima Nayeema was killed when the retaining wall crashed behind the house of Naushad at Kanakare near Deralakatte in Ullal taluk.

Three men, including two fishermen, were feared drowned in separate incidents Dakshina Kannada district on Friday. Two fishermen identified as Yashwant Karkera (52) and Kamalaksha Salian (47) from Thota Bengre, who had set out to remove the fishing net cast in the Palguni river at around 1 am, were feared drowned. A case was registered at the Panambur police station. In another incident, 35 35-year-old farmer, Guruprasad Bhat from Valpady village in Moodbidri taluk, was washed away after a wooden plank placed on top of the check dam gave way due to his weight.

District-in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao announced a compensation of Rs. five lakh each to the victims of landslides. Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader urged the government to appoint a special officer to review the rain situation in the district.

In the past 24 hours, Dakshina Kannada district recorded an average rainfall of 85 mm, and Udupi district recorded an average rainfall of 96.1 mm, nearly eight times the expected rainfall according to data compiled by IMD. As a precautionary measure, the district administration extended the holiday for Anganwadis, primary, high schools, Government, aided and private educational institutions on Saturday.

Top rainfall locations (according to KSNDMC)

• Ullal-Kotekar---------------312.5 mm

• Ullal-Talapady--------------288 mm

• Ullal-Kinya------------------282.5 mm

• Ullal-Munnur----------------263.5 mm

• Mangaluru-Bala-------------172 mm