After a brief lull, showers lash coastal districts with renewed vigour

After having remained subdued for the past two days, rains returned with renewed vigour in the coastal districts on Sunday with Uttara Kannada district bearing the brunt of rain fury.

The coastal belt of Uttara Kannada experienced heavy showers through the day on Monday. The overflowing rivers and rivulets unleashed flood fury in Kumta and Honnavar taluks.

Chandika stream meandered its way along Kumta-Sirsi highway at Katagala, blocking the busy road for several hours. Many villages in the district are cut off. More than 50 houses are inundated by the Badagani stream.

The Gundabala river and Bhaskeri stream have flooded 12 villages in Honnavar taluk. More than 550 affected people have been shifted to nine relief centres opened in the region. Several lakes and ponds have breached in Banavasi hobli of Sirsi taluk.

Bhatkal recorded 20 cm (200 mm) of rain in the last 24 hours (end at 8 am on Monday). Honnavar and Kumta registered 15.5 cm and 13.7 cm of rain in a day.

Heavy showers and increased inflows into the rivers and the rivulets have triggered floods in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.

After a brief lull, skies opened up on Monday morning in twin districts and it poured through the day as the low-lying areas and vast tracts of paddy fields went underwater.

The fresh spell of showers is expected to swell the water levels of Netravati, Kumaradhara and Phalguni rivers. Landslides were reported at Mittakodi near Mudipu.

The flood situation has worsened in Baindoor where Sauparnika river is flowing above the danger mark. Several villages, including Navunda, Maravanthe, Hadavu, are inundated. Nada in Kundapur taluk has received 28.4 cm (284 mm) of rain in the last 24 hours.

Sea erosion has intensified at Padubidri, Padukere, Baindoor and Malpe. The weather department has forecast more heavy showers in the coastal districts for the next three days.

Meanwhile, parts of Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru on Sunday received moderate spells.

Flood threat wanes in NK

In Krishna basin districts, the flood situation has eased as inflows into the rivers have come down considerably.

The water levels in Krishna and its tributaries Malaprabha, Ghataprabha, Markandeya among others are fast recedings. Several bridges, including the Sadalga-Boregaon bridge in Chikkodi taluk, were opened for traffic on Monday.

The outflow from Almatti dam has decreased. The focus is now on filling the dam, according to KBJNL officials. As much as 60 tmcft of water flowed into Almatti reservoir from August 6 to 10.