Relentless rain, swollen rivers maroon villages in Uttara Kannada, Udupi districts

Heavy rainfall, coupled with the overflowing rivers, has left scores of villages, vast tracts of farm land and highways in Uttara Kannada and Udupi districts marooned.

Flood situation in Uttara Kannada, in particular, is grim due to relentless rain and heavy discharge from dams. Gundbal, Bhaskeri, Badagani and Mankuli Nagamastikeri villages have been inundated by an overflowing stream. Many people from the flood-hit villages in Bhatkal and Honnavar taluks have been evacuated to relief centres.

Traffic was hit on National Highway 66 after a portion of the hill caved in on the road near Sarpanakatte check-post in Bhatkal taluk. Similarly, vehicular movement on highway near Araga and Chandiya in Karwar taluk was affected after a heavy discharge from Kadra dam flooded the road.

With the weather department predicting heavy rain in the next 24 hours, schools and colleges in Karwar, Ankola, Kumta, Honnavar, Bhatkal, Sirsi, Siddapur and Joida taluks have been declared holiday on Saturday.

Bhatkal recorded a maximum rain of 21.8 cm in the last 24 hours (ending 8.30 am on Friday) while Karwar and Honnavar received 20.5 and 19.8 cm respectively.

Meanwhile, the intensity of rainfall receded in Udupi on Friday but the flood situation has remained grim at Navunda in Byndoor and a few villages in Kundapura and Brahmavar. The swollen Sauparnika river is unleashing a trail of destruction in the region.

Floodwaters from Kubja river have entered the sanctum sanctorum of Brahmi Durgaparameshwari temple in Kamalashile.

Many houses were damaged and acres of farmland have remained under water at Neelavara, Bavalikudru in Brahmavar. Sea erosion continued in Battappady and surrounding areas in Ullal and Maravanthe in Udupi.

Rain coupled with ongoing work on the highway led to traffic congestion on the road at Kallada on Mangaluru-Bengaluru road for more than two hours.

Landslides have occurred in Gandibagilu in Belthangady. Mudslides have also been reported at Charmadi Ghat.

Mudslides continued to rattle Kodagu. Heaps of mud caved in on Madikeri-Mangaluru road near Karthoji hitting traffic badly. Mudslides were also reported near the hockey stadium in Madikeri.

The concrete slab of the retaining wall of Kodagu DC’s office has slipped, triggering a fear of collapse. Many houses across the district have been damaged in the rain in the past one week. MP Pratap Simha visited parts of Kodagu and took stock of the situation.